Pieces of Me
by Kayori Aechaa
Summary: What makes the Red King so attached to his queen? How did they advance together as a couple with such different odds? Here we have two teenagers exploring a new side of life, and it's scary as shit. [Featuring Kaori Watari from "Series of Fortunate Events". Rated M for certain chapters!] Mikoto/Kaori (OC) centered - IN THE PROCESS OF BEING EDITED! :)
1. CH I

**Well, here it is! The side story some of you have been waiting for! :)**

 **This is the earlier years when Kaori and Mikoto first met, up until the present time when Series of Fortunate Events begins! This story will bounce from point of views, but for those of you who follow my work, you know that I tend to explore all the points of view. ;)**

 **Time bounces around a lot in this story, passing by in weeks sometimes so I hope it doesn't get annoying or confusing! :)**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH I**

 **Fated Meeting – Mikoto, the Red Demon**

* * *

"Tatara, you're either extremely brave or incredibly stupid," Kusanagi sighed, watching as the fourteen-year-old ran up to him and the senior's fiery haired companion, "You're seriously going to end up in the hospital one day."

Tatara smiled and brushed him off with a wave of his hand, "It's all good! I'll be fine, Izumo," He looked towards their silent friend, "What game would you like to play today, King?"

Standing there silently with amber eyes drifted off in the distance, Mikoto took a sip from his canned carbonated beverage. Both Kusanagi and Tatara watched him carefully, noticing how his eyes narrowed in the direction where he'd been staring.

"Is something wrong?" Tatara blinked.

Both he and Kusanagi followed Mikoto's stare to an unusual scene. Off to the side where one of the benches sat underneath a large tree, sat a fragile looking girl with six seniors surrounding her. Each one wore smirks on their faces and stared down at her, successfully intimidating her.

Kusanagi frowned and shook his head, "Ever damn day. It seems like they can't leave that poor girl alone."

"I hear she's such a nice girl, too," Tatara had his own frown.

Kusanagi nodded, "Mm. Everyone is my grade knows who she is. She's a transfer student from a wealthy family that had her in a private school," He watched his fellow seniors slam her books from her hands and laughed loudly when she stood up to try and defend herself, "Although, one of the girls who knows her said that her parents separated."

Tatara looked at Kusanagi and then back to the scene, worried that their normal routine would somehow escalate, "We should go help her, Izumo. What if they hurt her?"

"Looks like Mikoto beat you to it," Kusanagi pointed to their silent, stoic friend as he sauntered over towards the group, "He must have gotten tired of listening to them."

As Mikoto made his way over, one of the guys reached for the girl and grabbed her roughly by her face. To the senior's surprise, she slapped his hand away and took a step back away from him. When he stepped forward and take another reach for her, she shocked not only his friends, but also Mikoto and his companions as well.

Throwing all of her weight into her right hand, she launched her closed fist forward and connected with his jawline.

"Well now!" One of the guys laughed as their leader recovered from her fist having been slammed into his face, "Looks like finally got a fucking back bone!"

The injured one smirked, "That's one hell of a right-hook you've got there, beautiful," He rubbed his jaw for a moment before cracking his knuckles, "Let's see who has the better hit, shall we?"

The girl braced herself for his hit, but her eyes never left his face.

There was a fire in her eyes, and that was what seemed to anger the boy standing in front of her the most.

"I hate your eyes," He spat angrily with narrowed eyes, "Such an ugly shit-colored brown but with such an expressive and defiant fire. Absolutely disgusting."

As he swung forward, something that felt like fire clamped onto his arm and halted his movements. All of the senior's friends gasped and slowly stepped backwards, their eyes wide as they stared at none other than their school's "Red Demon" Mikoto Suoh, standing directly behind him with his impassive face full of annoyance.

Despite his reputation of being stoic and someone who is incredibly intimidating with his silent glares, it shocked everyone who was witnessing his intervention. Mikoto, not being known to let anything bother him, truly looked like the demon he was rumored to be.

He looked mad. Very, very mad.

"Suoh, stay the fuck out of this," The male growled, ripping his arm out of Mikoto's grasp with the sudden adrenaline that made it impossible for him to feel the fear his friends were experiencing at that moment, "This doesn't concern you."

Mikoto never spoke a single syllable, even as his eyes shifted from the males face to the girl in front of them.

Her chocolate brown eyes were wide with shock as she stared up at Mikoto in disbelief, as if she'd never had someone intervene in a scuffle for her before. Her matching brown hair was disheveled as well as her uniform from the male that had grabbed at her. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took her in, and at further inspection he could see bruises that she mostly like hastily tried to hide before coming to school during the days. Despite her attempts at covering them up, they were plain to see in his amber eyes.

For some reason, that made his anger turn into a rage he hadn't felt in a long time.

Without warning, Mikoto clenched his fist and hauled his arm back. The senior's friends protested loudly and warned their friend as he bravely taunted the red-head, but it was too late. There was a sickening crack as Mikoto's fist collided with the male's face, sending him spiraling backwards several feet and onto the ground.

He stood still for a moment as he watched the injured male attempt to collect himself from the ground, "Anyone else want to play?" His eyes flickered over each nervous face of the male's friends.

Each one took a step back as they murmured to one another before turning on their heel and sprinting off in the other direction, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Mikoto Suoh's fist.

Mikoto silently watched them as they scurried off before looking down at the girl off to the side who still stood there in silence. The shocked expression that was clearly open on her face before was now gone, replaced with a fire that somehow, Mikoto couldn't look away from.

To his personal surprise, he felt drawn into that look in her eyes.

"I didn't need you to take pity on me and help," She stated as she boldly stood in front of him, "But, thank you."

Pocketing his hands in his plaid trouser pockets, he grunted slightly and looked away from her, "Hn."

"Kaori Watari," She suddenly stuck her hand out to him, mildly surprising him as his brow quirked slightly, "It's only polite that I introduce myself after you helped me."

Mikoto eyed her outstretched hand for a moment before slowly pulling one of his own hands from the confines of his pocket and hesitantly closed it around hers.

Kaori felt her cheeks heat slightly at the unusual warmth radiating around her hand, intrigued as to why he had such a high body temperature.

"Mikoto," Came his deep voiced response, "Mikoto Suoh."

* * *

 **So, it's short but technically I could consider this a prologue! It's not going to be a fast-paced story as far as romance goes, but they will be seen together right off the bat. Now that they've met, they're going to be together often but like I said before, the romance is going to be slow!**

 **There's a reason why they're so tightly bonded. ;)**

 **I will however warn you that I may seem like I'm contradicting myself in the next chapter, but I really have a plan. We all know Mikoto makes instantaneous decisions without giving them much thought, so keep that in mind when you read the next update!**

 **Any who! I'm so happy to be back so soon with another K series, even if it my returning character, Kaori! Like I've said before from "Series of Fortunate Events", Kaori is one of my most previous original characters, so I couldn't help but want to explore their relationship from the past (considering they're five-years in)!**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	2. CH II

**Second chapter! :D**

 **Any and all reviews will be posted in the next chapter! :)**

 **NOW, LIKE I SAID PREVIOUSLY - I may seem like I'm contradicting myself by making this chapter seem fluffy with "romance", but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEEEEE have faith in me. I really do have an angle that I'm playing at, really... Seriously! :)**

 **Also, I really want to apologize if it seems like it skips a lot. I'm going to try to make it obvious when the time goes forward so things don't get confused.**

 **Also-also, I'm sorry if I keep repeating myself. LOOL D:**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH II**

 **Curiosity Killed the Cat – Kaori Watari, an Innocent Mind**

* * *

An entire week had passed since the incident that left many students speechless, including Kusanagi (who was at a loss for words the majority of that day) and Tatara. Shortly after people began talking about the incident, things slowly got back into routine. Mikoto, however, inconspicuously (or so he thought) continued to watch out for the interesting brunette.

Perhaps it was the idea that she wasn't frightened of him that made her so intriguing, or the fact that whenever he walked by she never shied away from him like most of the girls in school. She slowly began standing her ground to those who would bother her, looking up with such a ferocious glare in her eyes even as she was being taunted and teased.

Her brown orbs harbored that fire each time, once again drawing him in despite his inner self warning him to keep his distance.

It was the beginnings of a strange attraction, which both bothered and (surprisingly) interested him.

It was on a Tuesday at lunch when she first attempted to approach him. Mikoto sat by himself on the bench at his usual spot and sipped at his drink with his eyes closed. Usually, Kusanagi and Tatara would have joined him by now, but Kaori noticed no one was anywhere in sight. She was boldly moving forward, only freezing in her steps when his eyes opened and glanced towards her. Hesitation gripped her, and with that, she spun on her heel and walked off quickly without a word.

Watching her, he felt almost disappointed at the fact she took off the other way.

The second time Kaori attempted an approach was after Tatara left the fiery-haired male to return to his class early, giving her an open opportunity to go and talk to him alone.

When his eyes met hers, she didn't shy away this time. Instead, she began her approach towards him when the bell signalling for class to resume echoed in the area. Kaori gave a very frustrated sigh, deflating immediately as she pivoted on her heel to walk back to the building when Mikoto suddenly walked up beside her. It was an almost awkward silence back to the building, where he opened the door for her but said nothing.

After several more attempts that were foiled by either a distraction or ended up in a brief exchange in eye contact, Kaori tried one final time to talk to the silent male.

Like always, he was sitting on the bench under the same spot he seemed to hold claim over and sipped at his drink. Expecting to see at least Tatara, Kaori was quite surprised to see Mikoto sitting there by himself.

Taking a deep breath, Kaori finally crossed the distance as she held her wrapped bento boxes closely to her chest.

"So, you finally made it," Mikoto mused, fully looking at her as he nodded his head to the spot beside him, "Have a seat."

Kaori did just that, taking the final steps and sitting beside him. She sat still for a moment before slowly unwrapping her two bento's, feeling Mikoto's eyes on her the entire time.

"Here," Kaori held out one of the boxes to a curious Mikoto, "I made extra, and since I've only ever seen you drinking cans of soda, I figured you wouldn't mind."

Mikoto looked at the box before slowly accepting it, "Thanks..."

"It's not poisonous," Kaori giggled and smiled, "I promise."

"Hn," He set his can of soda down in between them on the bench before carefully pulling the lid off, mildly surprised when he saw almost all of his favorites inside, "How did you know?"

Kaori looked at him mid-bite, "Know what?"

"How did you know that these are my favorites?" Mikoto's brow rose.

She blinked several times before looking at him and grinned, "That's actually what I make for myself every day, but that's good to know you and I have similar taste in food. I won't feel bad for bringing you lunch now."

Mikoto watched her for a moment and accepted her genuine smile before turning back to his food, "You don't have to bring me food, you know."

"You're right, I don't have to," Kaori smiled, "But I want to."

He eyed her cautiously, momentarily thinking of something Tatara had said to him a while ago that reminded him of the situation he was currently in.

Shrugging it off, Mikoto joined Kaori and enjoyed the home cooked meal she shared with him. After finishing every last grain of rice, he handed her the closed bento box before stretching his arms above his head.

"So," Mikoto looked at her, "Do you get into fights often?"

Kaori looked at him for a moment before sighing, noticing the way he was eyeing the arm that had a more recent bruise to add to her collection, "About that," She looked forward, still feeling his eyes on her, "I've always been a target for bullies and it doesn't matter where I go. My parents are both very wealthy and offered to send me off to an international finishing school, but I don't think that would make a difference. I try to see the good in people and it seems like that draws all of the bad ones in. They feed off me, you know?"

Mikoto nodded, "No argument there."

"Thanks," Kaori muttered, leaning back and smiling small, "What about you? The great and feared Mikoto Suoh. All I keep hearing is bad things about you circling around the school."

Much to her surprise, Mikoto's lips pulled into the tiniest of grins as he chuckled slightly, "Not much else to say. Most of what people say about me is true."

"So you really let people call you a demon?" Kaori's brows furrowed, "Why, though?"

She watched him carefully but didn't see any change in his expression, "That's because that part about me is also true."

"Is that why you tend to keep to yourself and distance yourself from others?"

He hadn't been expecting her to ask him that, catching him somewhat off guard, "What?"

"Well," Kaori shifted and leaned back against the back of the bench, "I couldn't help but notice that you only ever have two specific people near you," She pointed out, looking at him with a soft expression, "Any others are probably scared off or intimidated because you always have such a scary expression on your face."

"But you're not afraid?"

"Nope," Kaori shook her head and smiled, "I never was afraid, even though I had a hard time to approach you."

Mikoto's brows furrowed, "Why?"

"I didn't know what to say to you, so my only reaction was to run off," Kaori said honestly, leaning her head back to look up at the cloudless blue sky, "I knew if I finally made it to this point that I would have to say at least something."

"Until today."

"Yep, until today."

Mikoto regarded her carefully, "Aren't you afraid of what I'm capable of?"

"You mean with those mysterious red flames that people say you can conjure out of nowhere?" Kaori looked at him and shook her head, "No, I'm not afraid of that, either."

Turning his head to fully look at her, his brow rose and he asked before he could stop himself, "What are you afraid of?"

"Truthfully?" Kaori never met his eye, "I'm afraid that what people say is right, and that you'll lose yourself in those very same flames that everyone is so frightened of," He was startled by her blunt honesty, "Fire is a very powerful, unpredictable force of nature that takes an incredibly strong will to control but I can already see that you have it in you."

Mikoto stared at her completely taken aback and at a loss for words. It took him a few moments to recover, and once his train of thought returned to him, he looked a head of himself and let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

"Is that so?" Was all he could manage to respond with.

 **\- x -**

Rumors passed from ear to ear as the weeks went on since people caught wind that the shy, defenseless new girl from the rich family had lost her mind and began sticking around the school's demon. Talk of him pitying her or calling her stupid and blind were mostly heard, but she brushed them off and ignored their voices for the most part. One rumor in particular stood out, having been compared to the young Tatara Totsuka and how they were both foolish for choosing Mikoto Suoh as a companion.

Several times since their first real talk, she'd gone and joined the "demon" for lunch and hand him the usual bento filled with his and hers shared favorites.

After breaching the initial barrier of silence and casual topics their conversations took a more relaxed, deeper turn and soon their talks flowed smoothly about things outside of the usual. They discussed hobbies outside of school, aspires (mostly Kaori answering this one) and hopes for after school was finished. Mikoto had even boldly asked her about her home life, none too pleased when she gave him a sad reply about her parents never really being around.

"I want an honest answer for what I'm about to ask," Mikoto suddenly said, looking into Kaori's chocolate orbs with a serious expression, "Why are you so interested in being around me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kaori looked at him as if he were completely oblivious.

Much to Mikoto's dismay, he really was entirely oblivious as to what was going on, "What?" His brows furrowed slightly, not quite understanding the way she was eyeing him.

"I like you, silly. And I mean… _Like-like_ ," Kaori finally admitted aloud, her cheeks tinting red as she avoided eye contact with him, "I like being around you and I enjoy your honesty. I also like the way you look at me, as if I'm a real person and not something that can be used as a punch bag."

Mikoto stared at her not entirely sure to handle this situation, never having been in this spot before himself. He repeated her words in his head and simply stared at her, not knowing how to react or how to reply.

Sure, she was beautiful even in his eyes. It had taken a long time and arguing with his inner pride to admit that he was beginning to enjoy their private talks together on the days Tatara or Kusanagi weren't present. He secretly enjoyed her cheery personality and was beginning to slowly allow himself to relax in her presence, even finding himself becoming protective of her much like he had after Tatara had invaded his life.

Most of all, it was that fire that burned in her eyes whenever she became snared by a topic she was passionate about. It was tantalizing, as if he could reach out to touch it and would be able to feel it if his fingertips were to touch the flesh of her cheeks.

"..." He looked away from her for a moment before finally responding, not entirely sure if it was really him speaking or if it was something or someone else projecting his voice, "Feeling's mutual."

Kaori's eyes went wide, "Really?"

"Mm," Mikoto sat still for a moment before letting his hand snake over to hers, his fingers curling around her own tiny hand to hold it in his own, "You're alright with this?"

"No, not at all," Kaori couldn't help the bright smile on her face, enjoying the awkward but very warm grip on her hand.

Mikoto's brows furrowed, "What about my reputation?"

"It's comforting, actually," Kaori looked at him, "Why should I be afraid of you when I know you'll never cause me intentional physical harm?"

His eyes narrowed, "Intentional physical harm?"

"Your flames," She pointed out, "I don't want you to think that you need to handle it all on your own."

Not knowing how to reply to that, Mikoto looked down at their hands and let the last few minutes replay in his head.

Did this mean that he had taken Kaori as a girlfriend? When the hell did he become so soft? It was obvious that this was a serious situation for her and she was enjoying the fact that he had willingly divulged that he was at least somewhat sexually attracted to her. Or so he thought, only understanding what relationships were from what Kusanagi had ever told him.

Off to the side watching the two, Tatara hid behind a bush but was close enough to have heard the entire exchange of words and was currently trying to reach Kusanagi.

It was inconvenient for him at that moment because Kusanagi was finished the one course he came back to school for; now graduated and a happy owner of a bar deep in the middle of Shizume City.

"Oh, Izumo! You're missing something _HUGE_!" Tatara whispered excitedly, "And of course I don't have my PDA on me to get photographic evidence! Of all the times to leave the dorms without it!"

Knowing Kusanagi the way he did in the small group's brief time together, Tatara knew the elder teenager wouldn't believe his words alone. Or, at least, until Mikoto admitted it to him first.

 **\- x -**

Students and teachers alike watched with wide eyes as they stared at Mikoto and Kaori, their mouths wide open with disbelief at the sight of the school's demon holding her hand with his fingers loosely weaved through her own.

"Isn't that Mikoto Suoh?"

"Holy fuck, get a fucking picture, man! This is school newspaper material right here!"

"She's that rich-kid kid that gets beat up on a lot? No wonder she's around him. Now she has the perfect bodyguard."

"He's probably dating her out of pity."

"Why would she want to date him anyways? He's a monster!"

"Maybe he likes 'em innocent and willing?"

Kaori's eyebrow twitched as they walked side-by-side through the crowd of curious teens, trying desperately to ignore their words but failing miserably. It was with a squeeze from Mikoto's hand that brought her attention away from prying eyes and back to him, as his amber eyes locked onto her own to give her a knowing look.

"Ignore them," Mikoto's voice was low and gruff, "You'll be hearing a lot now that you're with me."

Kaori nodded and followed him towards the main doors, where most people were already leaving for home or heading on a bus.

Now normally, Mikoto would hop on his bike and head to the bar Kusanagi had opened, but now with Kaori's hand in his own he was at a loss for what to do.

"So," Mikoto looked at her, "Should I walk you home?"

Kaori looked up at him and noticed the uneasy look on his face, "You can if you want, but I won't force you to walk with me."

"Do you have to be home right away?"

She blinked, "No, why?"

Silently, he tugged her along with him until they were several blocks away from the school and all those who whispered about them. When they were far enough away, he pulled her into an alleyway and lead her deep enough that people walking by the opening wouldn't see them.

"I want you to see something," Mikoto released her hand and turned to face her fully, "But I can't touch you while I do this."

Kaori watched curiously as he held both hands out in front of him, palms up and fingers stretched open. She was about to ask him what he was doing, when tiny red and pink sparks lit up and danced off his skin until they became full flames that engulfed his hands as a whole.

"I know I told you about this, but this is the reason why they call me a demon," Mikoto stared at the flames, "I thought you should see this for yourself before this–whatever it is or will be–goes any farther."

The brunette in front of him watched as the flames angrily licked at the flesh of his palms and frowned when she noticed charred marks beginning to form where the heat was more intense.

Not entirely caring if she would be burnt or if he thought she was crazy, Kaori reached out and took both of his hands in her own, "Mikoto," She winced only slightly as the intense heat of the flames ebbed at her until she forced herself to tolerate it, "I accepted this part of you the moment you walked into my life and became a friend. Do you think that I would judge you after seeing this? Or that you would frighten me off?"

Mikoto dismissed the flames and let her continue to cradle his burned hands in her own a little while longer, "You had a right to see it for yourself."

"I trust you," Kaori looked up at him with a gaze that made him uneasy and shook him right through to his core, "And even if we aren't meant to be together, I will always be there to help you calm that inferno should it become hard to handle on your own."

Nodding slowly, Mikoto released his hands from her grip only to turn them over so their palms were pressed against each other and closed his fingers loosely, almost gently around her wrists.

"Why me?" His eyes narrowed, "Why would you choose me of all people?"

Kaori smiled softly, "You know, if you keep asking me that I'll have to write it out and stick it on your face," She giggled slightly but became serious once again, "Honestly, you were the first person to actually see me, instead of a helpless girl who hides behind insecurities and holds her ground because no one else will fight for me," She stepped closer and was relieved he didn't step back away from her, "You see me as a person, Mikoto."

Mikoto stared down at her for a moment before sighing, releasing her hands and momentarily shocking Kaori, "You're a damn fool. Reckless and insensitive to your own well-being," Her chocolate orbs were becoming glassy at his words when she gasped in shock when Mikoto's hands gripped her upper arms to pull her to his chest, "Don't cry. It's unbecoming of a girl like you."

Kaori let out a choked sob as he tentatively hugged his waist, enjoying their closeness and the heat sifting off his body to surround her in a comfortable embrace.

He held her there against his chest for what seemed like hours, letting his body become accustomed to having someone so close without fear of hurting them. He'd let his inner self pass the wall he'd built up from a young age and peek out, seeing a flicker of something unusual but ever so tempting to reach out for. It both frightened and pacified him, knowing Kaori was genuine and that she truly was one of the few Mikoto could see himself being around.

His brows furrowed in question, asking himself over and over if she really was capable of doing the impossible.

Was she capable of taming the inferno inside of him?

* * *

 **Like I said in the previous chapter, looks are deceiving and that this may contradict my previous statement about the romance not being thrown in right away. Don't forget, Mikoto's, well… Mikoto. LOOL I'LL BE SAYING THAT OVER AND OVER SO I DON'T GET MESSAGES TELLING ME I'M JUMPING INTO THINGS OR RUSHING. Omfg I've been roared at before for that, so I'm only taking precaution!**

 **I know my readers though and I trust you all not to yell at me and believe in my plot! :'D**

 **Next update will be out either this weekend or during Christmas break! I haven't decided how many chapters this will be, but my goal was to aim for at least ten. :)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	3. CH III

**Wow, so much love already and I like I said in the other update, these aren't even twenty-four hours old yet! I just can't help it that I'm posting another chapter so soon! :D**

 **Plus school got officially canceled this morning so once I was done my road test for driving, which by the way I PASSED. Aced that mudda fuka like a BOSS (LOOL I was so nervous doing that final in-car test, omg) and now to celebrate because no one died after the roads were shit from last night's snow storm, I give you another chapter! ;)**

 **MissAnimeMiss – Ahhhh thank you! I knew my returning readers would believe in me! Also, thank you so much for understanding the plot already and that Mikoto, like you said, doesn't exactly think things through and rushes into everything before he really understands the situation. Hope you like these next few updates! :D**

 **Halloween Witch – Haha that's great that you got so excited to see me in action again with these updates! I couldn't help it and really wanted to put miles on my readers faces! ^^ I'm glad you enjoyed Mikoto's first impression of our darling Kaori, because really, he's not a bad man. And like you said, he's human and that's just it! So glad you thought everything was realistic and was flowing well, as he's a character that I like to portray differently from the others. :)**

 **Oh yeah, just so ya'll know, " –x– " is a regular time break, and " –x – x– x – " is a greater time break, as in two or more weeks/months, etc. :)**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH III**

 **The Allure of Temptation - Mikoto's Decision**

* * *

Mikoto wandered the halls of the school, ignoring more of the student's chatter and gossiping among themselves at his expense. Not only were they talking about the "demon" being in a relationship and going soft, but they were once again mercilessly picking on Kaori. Not that he minded, because he simply ignored them or would silence them with a cold stare but when it came to Kaori, he'd become so protective that almost six times in one day did he have a threat to be expelled by the teachers.

Eventually, she'd met Tatara and was happy when he would join her and Mikoto during the times at lunch that he could. He found it amazing that Kaori was so thoughtful to the King, making sure he ate and admonishing his gruff behavior when necessary. As he watched the two, he could tell that they were more than suitable for one another.

"I want to blow up this school," Mikoto sighed as he walked over to their usual spot, turning on his heel to sit himself down on the bench beside Kaori, "Those idiots aren't shutting up."

Kaori smiled and opened his bento box for him before sticking it in his hands, "Ignore them. I don't let it bother me half as much as it used to so if I can hold off from throwing a few chairs, so can you."

"Thanks," Mikoto looked at her, "They're not exactly being friendly towards you. Even that one girl you said you spoke to is being a bitch."

He watched as she shrugged her shoulders and smiled, "That doesn't matter. I have you and Tatara now, so that's all that counts in my books."

Mikoto nodded, satisfied with her answer and began eating the lunch she'd prepared for him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her watching him with that same smile on her face before she turned to her meal.

"Tatara said you have an older friend who graduated a few months ago," Kaori began, "Izumo Kusanagi?"

Mikoto grunted, "He's a womanizer but a good man. Why?"

"Can I meet him eventually?" Her eyes sparkled at the thought of Mikoto having another friend that he enjoyed being around other than her and a fourteen-year-old.

He looked at her and nodded slowly, "I suppose."

"You suppose?" Her brow rose, "Is he mean or something?"

"No, nothing like that. He's... Different."

Kaori grinned, "If I can handle Tatara at his most hyper, I think I can handle a man who knows how to play women."

Mikoto nodded, "He owns a bar in town now called HOMRA, so I'll take you one day before he opens to avoid all the looks from his patrons."

"You afraid I'm going to get hit on?" She grinned.

"Yes," Mikoto said bluntly, "It wouldn't be nice of me to start a fight in his bar."

Kaori felt her cheeks heat up slightly, "Mikoto, I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say!"

She watched him roll his eyes before setting down his empty lunch box, setting it on top of her own before sitting back against the bench with his eyes closed. Kaori smiled at the fact he'd stretched his arm out so it was behind her, not too close but also just barely there so he knew she was still beside him.

In the weeks they'd been together, he'd been overly possessive about certain things and in other aspects, he treated her more like a friend rather than a girlfriend. She didn't mind, though. Being with Mikoto wasn't like being with any other guy who rushed forward to claim what he thought was truly his, but calm and steady with calculate moments and straight forward wants and desires. He hadn't been subtle about anything he clearly wanted, like when he kissed Kaori for the first time and took her off guard completely. Or the time he went to her house and walked into her room without knocking, where she had been fully exposed in just a pair of black panties.

Their relationship revolved around Mikoto's random urges and the way he'd go about things without really giving it a lot of thought. He always managed to surprise her, making it interesting every day and leaving Kaori to wonder what he was about to do next.

It also helped that Kaori was opened minded and had the willingness to go along with whatever happened at the time.

The day he began touching her in public, whether it be a brush of his hand or like now with his arm there but not, she knew they were making big progress.

"I had a dream last night that I'd destroyed the entire city," Mikoto said lowly, his eyes still closed and head reclined back slightly, "I just lost myself."

Kaori looked at him and frowned, "You shouldn't be thinking about that, Mikoto. You're not going to lose control. I won't let you."

"If it happens you won't be able to stop it," He looked at her, "Like you'd said before, fire is a power, dangerous thing. I just hope you're far enough away when it happens."

She shook her head, "No, I'll be right there slapping the shit out of you until you break out of it."

Mikoto chuckled slightly, "I see," He closed his eyes again, "I have clansman now."

" _Clansman_?" Kaori blinked, "What's that?"

"This power inside of me apparently makes me a King," Mikoto explained, "Kusanagi did some digging and when he found out about another King, some German man who founded the research project for these slates that are said to be the amp for people like me, we become Kings."

Kaori nodded slowly, "Does that mean you're sort of like a gang leader now?"

"I suppose," His face pulled down like a frown, "It also means that more people are going to be drawn in."

She giggled, "And I guess Kusanagi wouldn't exactly enjoy that either?"

"Hn," Mikoto's eyes slowly opened, "He's none too thrilled about the idea, but he accepted the proposal when I offered it to him. It was more so out of curiosity, but now he's my clansman and can manipulate flames like me to an extent."

"Really?" Kaori smiled, "That's great."

He shrugged, "More people will come looking for that power, so we have to be careful. I don't want them trying to use you as means of forcing me to giving it to them."

"I have a feeling that if it came down to that, you'd burn them alive and leave no traces of anything before they could lay a finger on me."

Mikoto looked at her and replayed her words, "No traces, eh?"

"Hmm," She smiled, "Not even bone can withstand fire for very long, Mikoto."

"No bone or ash," He repeated, "I like the sounds of that."

Kaori rolled her eyes, "Don't go sadistic on me, Mikoto."

"I'm not," He shot back.

When the bell rang signalling class was to resume, the two stood up and she collected her bentos. Out of nowhere, Mikoto took her hand in his and began pulling her the opposite way. Kaori blinked and protested but a droll look sent in her direction silenced her.

"Mikoto?" Kaori looked up at him as they continued to make their way off school property, "Care to tell me where we're going at least so I can think up an excuse for why I wasn't in class?"

"You don't need one," Mikoto was looking in the direction he was walking, "It's an assembly all the rest of the day so you're not missing anything important."

She nodded and blinked, wondering why he suddenly pulled her away and was heading in a direction she'd never gone with him before. Was he taking her to meet Kusanagi already? Were they going on some sort of not-date?

When they crossed the street and headed towards a small section of houses, Mikoto looked back at her, "I hope you don't mind that we go to my place for a while. I don't think your mother would enjoy the fact I lead you off school grounds during class time."

Kaori felt her cheeks heat, "Yeah, probably a good idea."

They walked up the steps to a one-level apartment building where he lead her inside and to one of the last doors on the left. When they got inside, she noticed it was very plain and almost like a bachelor flat with just a small living space, kitchen and the washroom to the side.

"It's not much, but its home," Mikoto said as he kicked his shoes off, "Make yourself at home. Sit on the rolled up futon if you want."

Kaori took her own shoes off and nodded slowly, walking in and looking around before pulling out of the cushions he'd had set aside on a shelf and used that to sit on, "How long have you been on your own?"

"A while," Mikoto opened the fridge and pulled out two cans of cola, "When I was five I set my room on fire and when the police told my parents it was actually me that did it and not something I played with or dropped, they treated me like a leper until I was old enough to move out on my own."

"That's terrible," Kaori frowned, taking the can from him when he handed it to her.

He nodded and shrugged, "It was my father that wanted me out of the house, but my mother still keeps in contact with me. She actually helps to pay for this room behind my father's back."

"At least you're not fully on your own," She watched him sit down, "Is that why you only seem to live on canned soda beverages?"

Mikoto looked at her, "Yeah, that about sums it up. Kusanagi's been feeding me too, but it's not your guys' responsibility."

"I don't mind," Kaori smiled, "As ridiculous as this sounds, I get an allowance every week and can do some groceries for you if you want?"

His brow rose, "I don't want you to spend your money on me."

"I told you Mikoto, I don't mind," Kaori insisted, "I don't want to see you starve."

He narrowed his eyes slightly at her but sighed, "You're going to do it anyways, aren't you?"

She nodded with a smile, "Yup!"

He shook his head.

They sat in silence at his small table for a few minutes as they both sipped at their drinks before Mikoto finally spoke, "You're not awkward being here alone with me?"

"No, why would I be?" She looked at him with her brow raising, "It's not like you're going to murder me or something."

Mikoto chuckled at her exaggerated logic, "I suppose not."

"What did you want to do?" She smiled.

 _What do I want do, hmm?_ Mikoto thought to himself, "There is something I'd like to try."

"What is it?" Kaori blinked, watching him get up and round the table to her, "Mikoto?"

Kneeling down, Mikoto met her face-to-face before leaning in to capture her lips. She gave a muffled gasp of surprise before settling in to his touch, setting the can on the table so she could cup both sides of his face to keep him in place. Unlike all of the other times where Mikoto had kissed her out of the blue, this kiss was fierce and driven with intent. She could feel his body shudder with the release of his restraint, yelping as he pushed her onto her back and pinned her down to the floor with his hands on hers and fingers laced together.

"M-Mikoto…" Kaori looked up at him owl-eyed, "What are you–?"

He leaned down to capture her lips again in a deep kiss before pulling away, "I couldn't help myself."

"Is this..." Her cheeks began turning a bright red, "Are we going to...?"

His brows furrowed, "If you want?"

"So this was just a surprise kiss?" She blinked, "Nothing like... _That_?"

Mikoto's brow rose, "Did you think I would bring you here just to take advantage of you and make you have sex with me?"

"No, no!" Kaori shook her head quickly, "Nothing like that! It's just, you took me off guard when you did that."

He nodded slowly and looked down at her for a moment before leaning towards her, "It's the truth when I say that I want you, but I won't force you just because of what I want."

"Who says you'd need to force me?" Her brow rose, her attitude doing a three-sixty.

Mikoto stared at her, "So, you want to?"

"Well... Yeah," She took a page from his book and gave him a blunt answer.

Mikoto's amber eyes went slightly wide, "Really?"

"Yes," She looked up at him.

They both stared at each other in silence for a moment before Mikoto nodded, "I can't use condoms."

"Why not?" She blinked several times.

He looked away from her and wouldn't meet her eyes, "That's effected by my flames, too."

"What is– _Oh_ ," Kaori blushed, "Okay, well...? So I don't have to worry about getting pregnant?"

He shook his head, "No. Poor bastards probably burn before they even get a chance."

Kaori couldn't help but giggle, "Well, when you say it like that!"

Mikoto took the opportunity to lean down and claim her lips in a more passionate kiss. She immediately responded, sliding her fingers that gripped his cheeks to his hair and laced her fingers in his fiery locks. As their lips parted and tongues clashed, Kaori could feel Mikoto's body temperature rising against her own and soon she felt as though he entire being was on fire.

It just made him all the more tempting, the hotter his body got and the less amount of clothing they were now wearing.

Having already seen her naked by accident, Mikoto quickly stripped away her last layers before working his own shirt off his body. Once his pants and boxers were discarded, he dived down against her and caught her lips in a searing, lustful kiss. His move were fast paced and urgent while his hands made quick work of exploring the expanse of her body. Not an inch of her skin wasn't touched by his burning hands.

"Mikoto-" Kaori gasped, her eyes half closed and her lips slightly parted as his lips assaulted her collarbone.

When he felt her shift underneath him, her hips rubbed against his own and his hardened length twitch in anticipation. He grunted loudly against her flesh at the contact, kissing and biting his way down towards the valley of her breasts. With none too gentle notions, he gave each of her fleshy mounds equal attention before venturing further.

There was a moment where Kaori thought he was going to do something that made her cheeks burn when suddenly he gripped her one of her legs to lift it up over his shoulder, crawling over her to position himself at the entrance to her core.

"You're sure?"

Kaori nodded and bit her bottom lip, "Just be gentle, please..."

Mikoto understood why she asked and scowled in realization, "I don't really think I'm the one you should be giving your virginity to, Kaori."

"Well, too late now," She huffed, reaching her hands up to grip his hair, "Now kiss me and let's do this."

 **\- x - x - x -**

"So," Kusanagi eyed Mikoto, noticing his posture was less rigid and he'd become a lot less irritable than usual, "Anything you want to tell me?"

Mikoto looked at him and narrowed his eyes, "What?"

"Oh, just an observation," The elder male smirked and leaned against the bar top, "But you seem a lot more at ease these days."

The red head shrugged and looked down at his cup of coffee, "I met someone."

"You met someone?" Kusanagi repeated with a grin, "And by chance, does this person you met happen to be of the female gender?"

Mikoto's glare was answer enough for him, "She's just a friend."

"A friend, eh? Not according to Tatara, she's not."

Mikoto bristled, "Tatara told you about her?"

"Of course he did," Kusanagi smirked, "He knew you wouldn't so he took it upon himself to tell me."

Mikoto muttered something under his breath before shifting uneasily, "She's a friend," He insisted.

"Uh huh," The bartender didn't look convinced, "You keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, you should bring her in so I can meet her seeing as how you hid your extracurricular activities away from me for so long."

"Not happening," Came the quick reply.

Kusanagi's brow rose, "And why not?"

Mikoto never answered him.

"I see how it is," Kusanagi smirked again, "Want her all to yourself, right?"

Mikoto glared, "Shut up."

"So, did you meet her in school?" Kusanagi's eyes were shining with amusement, knowing fully well that she was a student.

The amber eyed male looked away from Kusanagi, "Do I ever bother trying to say no? If Tatara told you about her, then you know who she is."

"So I was right. It is Kaori Watari," He smirked, "Who knew that quiet little angel that always got picked on would catch your _special_ attention."

Mikoto looked at him, "You're still not meeting her."

"And why the hell not?" Kusanagi stood up and crossed his arms, "I let you come into my bar and stay here whenever you skip class and you won't even grant me this one request?"

"Don't blackmail me," Mikoto grunted, "I don't know if I'm staying with her, anyways."

Kusanagi looked at Mikoto with his brow raising, "Tatara said you two make a good couple, so why would you leave her?"

"It doesn't feel right," He admitted, "With all of this bullshit with the clan business coming up, I don't want to throw her in the middle of it."

"Maybe she's ready to be a part of that?" Kusanagi asked, waiting to see Mikoto's expression.

Mikoto shook his head, "She's already too involved. I don't want her being a part of my clan now that I'm a King."

"Does she know you've finally transitioned?"

"No," Mikoto took a large sip of his coffee, "I've kept that from her."

"So you two have been together for near five months, and you haven't told her you have supernatural powers?" Kusanagi's brow rose, "Somehow, I don't think there's any possible way that she couldn't have noticed."

"She knows about my power, but not that I'm a King or what it all really means," Mikoto cleared.

"I think you're making a mistake," Kusanagi sighed, reaching a hand up to tousle his dirty blond locks, "You're a different person now that you're with her, and it's for the better. I wish you'd reconsider, considering she's probably the only girl in the entirety of Japan's country that has willingly accepted your mood swings and bad temper."

Mikoto narrowed his eyes, "I'm doing it for her safety."

"Are you sure that she's safer alone?"

Unbeknownst to the two males talking to one another, two figures stood in the doorway and were frozen in place as they heard the majority of the conversation.

Tatara looked at his two friends with eyes before looking down to Kaori, who had been standing beside him after he invited her to the bar. She too, had a wide-eyed expression. He saw her eyes glass over with heavy tears and tried to reach for her to comfort her, but she turned on her heel and ran back out the door without a word.

"Hey, Tatara!" Kusanagi looked over with a smile until he caught sight of the younger males' expression, following his eyes and catching sight of Kaori's retreating figure, "Shit..."

Tatara looked at him and immediately felt guilty when Mikoto looked at him, "It's... It's Kaori."

 **\- x -**

After two hours of arguing with an outcome that didn't go in his favor, Mikoto now stood in front of the door to a familiar house with his hands in his pockets and his posture slouched. He was mentally debating whether to follow through with Kusanagi and Tatara's orders, wondering it was really worth it to explain everything to Kaori or to let her hate him and never know the truth.

Unfortunately for him, his decision was made for him when Kaori's younger sister arrived shortly after he did.

"Are you here for something?" Uhie looked up at him as she fished her keys out of her blazer pockets, "I can go get Kaori for you if you want?"

Mikoto only nodded, watching as she entered the house and closed the door after motioning him to stay put. It took only five minutes when the door opened again, revealing a frowning Uhie.

"Sorry, but Kaori doesn't want to see you," She was closing the door before he could respond, so he reached forward to stop her, "Mikoto, Kaori doesn't want to see you!"

He brushed passed her and walked in, not entirely knowing where to go since it was his very first time in her house. He heard Uhie stomping behind him angrily, demanding he leave when he turned a hall that lead towards the back of the house and pushed it open.

Sitting on a chair underneath a large tree, Kaori had a book in her hands and refused to look at him as he entered the area. She glanced over briefly when he closed the door on Uhie so she couldn't follow him and looked back at her page when he strode over.

"I have nothing to say to you, Mikoto," Kaori said calmly, still not looking at him.

Mikoto narrowed his eyes and reached down to take the book from her, "Is that so? Well, I have a lot to say."

"That's a first," Kaori looked up at him and stood up, "Going to tell me about how you told your friend that there was a possibility that you weren't going to stay with me? Or how you became some sort of "King" and were going to keep that a secret from me?"

Mikoto glared down at her, "That wasn't a conversation you were supposed to hear."

"Then what was I supposed to hear, Mikoto?" Kaori's hands flew up into the air, "When were you going to tell me that you didn't want to be with me anymore? Do you think that I'm just some play toy that you can toss aside when you get bored?"

His head pulsed as the migraine already pounding at his brain intensified, "Kaori, shut the hell up and listen to what I have to say."

"Fine," She narrowed her eyes up at him, "Go ahead."

Mikoto's own eyes narrowed down at her at her sardonic tone, "Do you understand how dangerous my lifestyle is going to be now?"

"Don't you dare start on me with that," Kaori snapped harshly, "I made my choice knowing who and what you are, so don't you throw that bullshit at me."

Her retort threw Mikoto off guard momentarily, "Excuse me?" He glared down at her, "I'm going to have to kill, Kaori. Do you really want to be a part of that? To be held at gunpoint by someone who wants to use you to lure me out?"

"No, you don't have to kill," She said, "You don't have to use your powers for destruction, Mikoto. You may wield fire, but you don't have to use it the way it's intended to be used. I told you I would be there every step of the way to help you control your power, and I meant every word of it."

Again, her words left him silent and thinking he'd made a mistake for coming to face her.

"Mikoto," Her eyes softened only slightly, "Why didn't you just come out and tell me that you didn't want me around anymore, instead of disappearing for days on end without a word?"

He shook his head, "Don't put words in my mouth, Kaori," He cut her off before she could continue to spout her words out to him, "I'm the Third and Red King now, which means my clan will have to fight and kill. I hid that from you to protect you from that burden, but it seems you aren't giving me much of a choice other than to terminate our relationship in order to keep you away."

Kaori glared, "You can't even think up a good excuse to break up with me?"

"Do you hear what I'm saying?" Mikoto's temper was slowly rising and it showed in his eyes.

She met his angry stare with her own, "I get it, Mikoto. I get it loud and clear," She walked passed him and swung the door open, surprising Uhie, who had been spying on them the entire time, "You found your way here, so I can't see it being a problem for you to let yourself out."

There was a brief moment where the air went thick and was radiating with their shared rage. Mikoto grunted low and turned, walking towards her before stopping just before the door. Uhie, who had taken off after being caught from her hiding place, watching from the stairwell to avoid contact with the Red King as he would leave the house.

"One more thing," Mikoto looked at her, "A package will arrive in the mail in three days. It was a gift I bought you for your birthday, so disregard it when it arrives."

Kaori felt her heart stop as she watching him walk towards the front door, having to force herself to remain still even though her mind was screaming at her to stop him. With a slam of the door, she watched as Mikoto left the house and waited until his figured disappeared from sight before letting go of her emotions.

Uhie watched her elder sister and frowned, watching the tears fall endlessly down Kaori's face as she crumpled to her knees and hugged herself. She decided to leave her alone to work out what had just happened, opting to go make some tea that would hopefully calm her down.

"You idiot…" Kaori sobbed to herself, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles, "You weren't supposed to fall in love with him…"

 **\- x -**

"You did _what_?!"

Mikoto avoided Kusanagi's and Tatara's eye contact for the three hours the two had been both yelling at him and trying to get him to explain his actions.

When he returned to the bar, a couple of the new faces he'd slowly accepted the presence of were enjoying some polite chatter until they fell silent at Mikoto's abrupt entrance. They watched as he went and took his seat on one of the leather sofas, not saying a word as he dropped down and closed his eyes.

"Why would you do that?" Tatara frowned, "She was - _IS_ \- your soulmate, Mikoto!"

He scoffed, "I don't believe in that shit."

"Like hell you don't," Tatara glared, completely shocking all those around him with his truly uncharacteristic behavior while he scolded the Red King, "Take these next few days to calm yourself down and let her calm down as well, and then you're marching straight back to that house to apologize."

Mikoto narrowed his eyes, "What are you? My mother?"

"If I have to act like a parent, I will," Tatara crossed his arms, "I won't let you ruin the only relationship you've ever had over something like this! King, you were so adamant on keeping me out of your clan, but you made an exception!"

"You're different," Mikoto looked away, "You can defend yourself should you need to."

"And she can't?" Tatara's brow quirked, "She doesn't need to be a fighter as long as she's here with all of us. She could become the backbone and support for all of the future clansmen, King. We're going to need a person like her around once all of the new faces and personalities arrive to help stop them from clashing."

Kusanagi nodded, "He's right, you know."

Mikoto muttered under his breath, "I'm not going back – I can't go back. I broke her heart when I walked out the door."

"You still have a chance for redemption, Mikoto," Kusanagi sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, "All you need to do is suck up that pride of yours and apologize, even if she blows you off or slaps you in the face."

Tatara nodded, "He's right."

"No," Mikoto insisted, "Even if I apologize, it won't work."

"You want to prove that theory?" Kusanagi challenged, "I'll personally escort you there myself if that's the case."

Mikoto shot Kusanagi a glare but said nothing, knowing he couldn't argue with the bartender.

Despite him being such a feared individual, he felt he couldn't be angry at Kusanagi or Tatara for admonishing him. He deserved to be emotionally abused after the steps he'd taken to assure Kaori's safety, but the small voice at the back of his mind made a tiny piece of him believe he'd made a terrible mistake.

Again.

It was also giving Mikoto a splitting migraine again, which didn't help his mood at all.

"So," Tatara leaned forward slightly as Mikoto slapped a hand onto his face in irritation, "What is it you'll be doing in a few days, King?"

Mikoto narrowed his eyes up at his younger clansman through his fingers, "Don't talk to me like a child, Tatara."

"Mikoto," Kusanagi's voice was flat and held none of the usual suave tone to it, "Answer him."

The Red King glared daggers at both of the males before stuffing his hands into his pants pockets, "... Going to see Kaori," He looked away as he muttered, only making Tatara lean closer to him.

"I didn't quite catch that," Tatara's voice was chipper now, but Mikoto knew he was still dead serious about the situation at hand, "Can you repeat that louder for me?"

"I'm going to see Kaori," Mikoto ground out.

"And?" Kusanagi pressed.

With a grunt, Mikoto muttered something under his breath about being an adult and not having to be treated like a child before sighed deeply, "Apologizing to her."

"Good," Tatara stood straight and smiled, "We're holding you to that, by the way."

"Is that so?" Mikoto grunted, closing his eyes and resting his head on the back of the sofa, "Fine, but until then leave me the hell alone."

"The damn idiot," Kusanagi chuckled and shook his head, "He needs to prepare his speech for when he grovels at her feet to take him back after breaking her heart."

"Don't rub it in, Izumo," Tatara smiled, "He's having a hard enough time as it is, so let's not make things worse for him."

The bartender gave a nod and continued with polishing his glasses while the air settled again in the bar, "Fine, but once this is all said and done, I want someone to bring her here so I can formally meet her," He looked at Mikoto and smiled, "Anyone who has a hold over someone so stubborn and strong-willed must be an incredible person."

Tatara nodded in agreement, "She sure is."

* * *

 **Oooouuu, Mikoto you jerk! :( oh well, had to be done in order for the story to advance! Sorry if he's slightly out of character from what we've seen in the actual manga/animated series, but it's necessary for things to develop! ^^**

 **Next chapter will be out at some point. I seem to be in the groove of things for this mini-series, as well as the sequel that my original plan for updating on Christmas break will probably turn to "FINISH SERIES" during that time. LOOL**

 **As always, I love you all so much and would love to hear from you all whether it's good or bad! I love my readers' opinions and take them all into consideration. :)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	4. CH IV

**So, here is the promised update that I said I would post in the last chapter of Breaking Point! This one jumps around a lot so I apologize for that.**

 **It's also not as long as I was hoping it to be, but... ;)**

 **MissAnimeMiss – No kidding, eh! Mikoto was a huge douchaseurus rex! And thanks! It was shitty conditions for my road test but I'm glad I was driving with the instructor rather than my mum. She tends to panic when shit gets bad. LOOL**

 **Mrs.1DJessup – So glad you liked it! ;)**

 **Halloween Witch – No kidding! He came down fast and furious on that decision but, he'll make it up to her. Promise. ;) Also, of course I'll write about Tatara and Kusanagi scolding Mikoto! What's more entertaining than the terrifying Red King getting talked to like a child by his friends? :P**

 **... This should make up for it. ;)**

 **Also, for those of you currently enraged at me for what I did in Breaking Point, hopefully this will make up for that too!**

 **Warning, warning! Sexy content below~! :D**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH IV**

 **Testing the Boundaries – Resolution**

* * *

"Hey Kaori, aren't you going out tonight?" A loud voice called from downstairs, followed by the sound of rushing footsteps, "If not, you'll be home alone tonight!"

Kaori laid silently on her bed and ignored her mother, rolling over onto her stomach to bury her face in her pillows. Soon, the footsteps grew closer as her mother neared her bedroom.

"Kaori," She knocked before opening the door, "Look, I know you're upset because of that boy, but think about it rationally. You're better off without a punk like him. He's low class and you're not."

She felt her temper rise, "I don't want to talk about him, mother."

"I'm just saying," Came the snippy reply, "You're only going to attract trash if that's the way you present yourself," She shook her head and eyed her daughter for a moment, "Such a disappointment. You're nothing like your younger sister."

" _GET OUT_ ," Kaori yelled loudly, looking over to her mother with narrowed eyes.

Her mother crossed the room and slapped the side of Kaori's head harshly, "Don't you dare use that tone with me, little girl. You forget whose house you're in and which parent you chose to stay with. Would you like to be sent to your father? Hmm?"

At this point, Kaori didn't care. She looked away from her mother and waited for more of her belittling comments but none came. She heard her footsteps heading to the hallway and jolted slightly when her mother slammed her door.

"Damn it," Kaori felt her eyes burning with unshed tears.

She waited until her mother and sister's voices carried out of the front door and slowly rolled off her bed once the front door was closed and locked.

"Finally," She sighed, heading downstairs to get something to drink, "I hope she gets drunk and goes home with someone tonight so she doesn't come home and take it out on me."

Her feet carried her to the kitchen where she opened the left door to the fridge where her mother stashed all of her liquor, pulling out a bottle of wine and walked to the counter after retrieving a glass. As she poured herself a full cup, the doorbell rang causing her to look over with a grim expression.

"That's funny," She set the bottle down, "Only two people I know ring the doorbell..."

Walking over, she unlocked the door and decided to throw it open without checking through the peephole first.

"Mikoto," She stared up at him with wide eyes, "What are you doing here?"

The Red King had his hands in his pockets and his eyes looking anywhere but her, "Can I come in and talk to you?"

"Why?" She glared, crossing her arms, "So you can stomp all over my feelings again?"

"Don't act like a baby," He snapped, "I wanted to apologize but if you're going to blow this out of proportion, I'll just leave."

Kaori stared up at him, "Then get out of here."

"You know what? No," Mikoto caught the door and held it open when she tried to slam it shut, "You're going to hear what I have to say."

She backed up as he pushed through her front door, closing it behind him and watched as walked passed her. Had she been in a better frame of mind, she would have scolded Mikoto for walking in the house with his shoes on but right now she was too clouded with anger to care.

"If you're going to spit out a bunch of bullshit excuses to me again as to why you broke up with me, save it. I don't want to hear any of that again," Kaori crossed her arms and watched as he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back out of his face, "Well? Say something."

Mikoto looked at her with narrowed eyes, "Woman, I'm trying to if you'd just give me a fucking minute."

"Mikoto," Kaori glared back, "You have one minute to tell me what it is you're about to say and then get the hell out."

Kusanagi's warning suddenly popped into his mind as he grunted and looked away, "For fuck sakes..." Muttering to himself for another moment, he finally turned around and looked Kaori in the eye, "I'm sorry for breaking your heart."

"And?" Came her cold reply.

Mikoto knew he deserved that but in the heat of the moment, it just pissed him off even more.

" _And_? I'm sorry. What else is there to say?"

"Oh, I don't know!" Kaori stomped over to him until she was a mere foot away from him, "How about apologizing for slapping me in the face with my own feelings? Or how you disregarded how I would think about you becoming a King and assuming that this is what I wanted? While we're at it, let's talk about the fact you think I'd be safer away from you. What happens if someone comes looking for me because of past ties? I sure as hell won't be safe then!"

Mikoto stared down at her slightly surprised by her outburst, "Kaori," He narrowed his eyes again at her and reached out to touch her, but she slapped his hand away, "Damn it, Kaori. Stop making this more difficult than it has to be!"

"Why don't you stop?" She glared, "What is that you want, Mikoto? I won't play a run-around game with you when you have your mood swings."

Mikoto looked at her before reaching out again, not giving her the chance to push him away and suddenly had her backed up against the wall.

"You want to know what I want?" His eyes narrowed down at her as caged her between his arms, his head slowly leaning down towards her, "I'll tell you what it is that I want."

Before she could protest, Mikoto's lips came crashing down and claimed her in a rough, passionate kiss. He heard her muffled sounds of protest but soon she gave in, hugging his neck and pulling him closer as their exchange became more intense. Kisses became feverish touches and soon both Kaori and Mikoto were pulling at one another's clothing as they backed their way up the stairs towards her bedroom.

With her fingers laced in his fiery locks, Kaori moaned into his mouth as he kissed her like he'd never get enough of her. Mikoto caught Kaori's hair and pulled her head back with a gentle tug as he pressed open-mouthed kisses to her neck and felt her shudder against him. In rapid succession, both collapsed against the soft top of her mattress as their last articles of clothing were stripped from their bodies and soon Mikoto had her writhing underneath him, both moaning loudly as they moved together in a tantalizing friction. Every fast, urgent forward movement sent waves of pleasure racking up and down both of their bodies until finally Kaori started to feel the heat pool in her abdomen.

Mikoto smirked down at her, knowing she was rapidly approaching the tension that would soon snap and leave her in bliss and came to an abrupt halt in his movements.

"M-Mikoto," Kaori, flushed faced and eyes dilated, looked up at him in protest.

He continued to smirk down at her, "I knew you wanted me back," She made a sound objection and with a sharp thrust forward, he had her moaning through her protest, "Hmm, I think your body agrees with me."

"Stop that– nghhh–~" Kaori gasped as he moved again, silencing her once again.

Leaning down, Mikoto brushed his lips against her ear, "It's only been a couple of weeks, but just the thought of not being able to touch you made me go mad," He felt her shudder against him, "Is it safe to assume the feelings were mutual?"

She was left speechless at his words, only able to nod as she bit her lip when his eyes met her own.

"Why so quiet?" Mikoto moved, feeling her tense against him and smirked again, "You don't like it when I talk dirty to you? Does it make you uncomfortable that I've wanted to fuck you senseless ever since that fight? Or that I've wanted to taste you on the tip of my tongue to the point where I crave it?"

Kaori's cheeks went red and when she tried to look away, Mikoto caught her face, "Mikoto–"

"The desire got so bad the other night I couldn't help myself," He nuzzled her face before kissing her quickly, "I imagined the first time you touched me before I even asked and how incredible it felt when you finished me off," He heard her give a sound of embarrassment that made him smirk against her skin, "What? You don't like the idea of me picturing you while I touch myself?"

Having been distracting her with his words, Mikoto gripped one of her legs and pulled it up by his shoulder, letting her knee rest against his bicep when he placed his hand back by her head and began moving ever so slowly.

"Hmm," He leaned down to capture her lips in a quick, lustful kiss before looking to the side to press kisses against her leg, "I forgot how flexible you are."

Kaori gasped loudly when Mikoto began moving as if he hadn't stopped, driving her body towards that pressure so fast she couldn't catch her breath. It wasn't long after his rapid, precise movements when the room filled with her loud sounds of pleasure as Mikoto continued his work. She felt like she was floating on air even as Mikoto's hips began moving in a drastic manner before he too reached his peak.

"M-Mikoto," Kaori's head was laid back against her pillow and her eyes were closed, "Where did that come from?"

Mikoto's entire body shook with the aftershock of his orgasm before he leaned down, pressing his face into the crook of her neck, "I told you, I couldn't help myself. I never realized how bad I wanted you until I couldn't have you."

"Was this what you had in mind when you showed up today?" She ran her fingers through his hair, enjoying the heat shared between their two bodies, "Or did you give up on words?"

She felt him smile against her skin as he chuckled slightly, "You weren't taking my apology the way I had it worked out in my mind, so I had to improvise."

"It's a damn good thing I love you so much," Kaori sighed and smiled small, "It's just not the same without you."

He pulled away enough to catch her eye, "So you forgive me?"

"Yeah, I do even though I'm still a little upset about some things," She looked at him, "I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you're not going to run off again or kick me out of your life for foolish reasons again, Mikoto. I won't take no for an answer."

Mikoto's amber eyes stared down into her own, "I'm sorry," He stroked reached a hand up to cup her face, using his thumb to stroke the apple of her cheek, "I can't promise you that it won't happen again eventually, but all I can do is say that I'll try. Kaori, you have to know that's the best I can do. Can you live with that?"

"I suppose I have no choice if I want to stay in a relationship with you," Kaori stroked his face gently. Slowly, a real, genuine smile slowly spread on his face. It wasn't a smile that reached his ears, but it was real and made Kaori's heart flutter, "Mikoto..."

Leaning down, he pressed his lips to her forehead, "I love you."

"I love you too– wait," Kaori looked up at him wide eyed, "You..."

He looked away, "Don't look at me like I've got two heads. You heard me right."

"Mikoto," She smiled, "You're all hard and fierce on the outside, but on the inside you're complete mush!"

He grunted, "Whatever."

She giggled and sighed contently, shuddering as he pulled himself away from her before dropping down beside her to pull her into his arms.

"Kusanagi wants to meet you," Mikoto held her close and ran his fingers up and down her spine, "He also said if I don't show up at the bar with good news, he and Tatara are going to kick my ass."

"Oh?" She nuzzled his chest, "Why is that?"

Mikoto muttered something incoherent before speaking aloud, "I quote; _"You better go and grovel on your feet if you want to survive another night in this bar, Mikoto. That's the only damn woman you're ever going to get in your life that looks at you like you're a person instead of a King, and she's the only one brave enough to put up with your dumb, senseless ass."_ That was what Kusanagi said. Tatara was a lot more polite about it."

Kaori couldn't help but giggle, "I like this Kusanagi person more and more every time you talk about him."

Mikoto grunted, "Yeah, yeah."

 **\- x -**

 _"Mikoto Suoh, get your ass over here immediately," Kusanagi said with a demanding tone that could rival Mikoto himself, "I want you to explain to me why it's been two weeks and you still haven't made progress?"_

 _Mikoto avoided eye contact with him, "I'm not going and begging for her to take my back."_

 _"You say that now, but I know the difference," Kusanagi bit back, "Get your ass over there and say you're sorry."_

 _"No," Mikoto muttered angrily._

 _Tatara crossed his arms over his chest, "Mikoto, if you don't go there I'll drag her back here myself and force you two to sit down and talk."_

 _"Like she'd come with you willingly," Mikoto scoffed, "She wouldn't come here to see me, anyways. She's too pissed and hurt."_

 _"I wonder why," Kusanagi grumbled and sighed, "You two are perfect for each other, and I haven't even met the girl yet. Two stubborn fools that are both headstrong and think they're in the right."_

 _Tatara nodded, "You're right, Izumo," He sighed and looked at Mikoto, "Just go and say you're sorry. I'm sure you'll feel a lot better once you've talked to her."_

 _Mikoto leaned back and laid his head back against the top of the couch, "Not happening."_

 _"Oh, it is," Kusanagi walked over to him and stared him down, "I don't care if you are our King, you're going over there and there will be no further argument about it. Do we understand each other?"_

 _Mikoto looked at his oldest friend with a scowl, "I'm not going over there to apologize, only to have it thrown in my face what a huge jackass I am. I already know what I am to her, and I don't need her to yell or to slap me in the face."_

 _"You'd deserve it if she did," Kusanagi ran his fingers through his hair, "You're leaving. Now."_

 _The Red King narrowed his eyes, "And if I don't?"_

 _"Then you can find another God damned place to call your home base," Kusanagi crossed his arms glaring down at him, "Your broody attitude has been scaring off my customers, so go get your damn woman back and smarten the hell up."_

 _Tatara stared at Kusanagi wondering if he was really speaking the truth or if he was using this as an intimidation tactic, "Izumo..."_

 _"Get up and get your ass over there, now," Kusanagi glared down at Mikoto, making the Red King's own scowl, "Did I make myself clear? Get up,_ now _."_

 _Slowly but surely, Mikoto reluctantly got to his feet, "If she slams the door in my face both of your asses are mine, got it?"_

 _Kusanagi and Tatara watched as their King stormed out of the bar, slamming the door shut behind him leaving the two watching to smirk in triumph._

 _"I knew that would get him going," Kusanagi chuckled and crossed his arms again, "All he needed was a little push."_

 _Tatara chuckled and smiled, "Was that really the way to go about it?"_

 _"It got him up and moving, didn't it?"_

. . .

"Ah, you're back!" Tatara smiled as Mikoto's figure appeared in the door to Kusanagi's bar, his eyes widening with surprise as their King held the door open for Kaori, "And you brought Kaori with you!"

Kaori smiled and waved, "Hello again, Tatara."

"It's been too long," He hopped off his stool and ran over to take her by the arm gently, pulling her towards the bar where a tall, handsome young man stood with a smile, "This is Izumo Kusanagi."

Kaori looked at Izumo and felt her cheeks heat slightly, "Hello, it's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," He smiled back at her, "We were beginning to worry if Mikoto had gotten lost."

Her cheeks suddenly became red, "About that..."

"Ah, I see," Kusanagi's eyes flashed to Mikoto, who walked up casually with his hands in his pockets with a passive look on his face, "Explains why Mikoto looks like he just got laid."

"Izumo!" Tatara looked at him and laughed while Kaori stared at the older man in shock, "That's not nice to say in front of a lady!"

Mikoto looked at him but never denied the assumption, "Is that so?"

"I figured you wouldn't be able to apologize with words," Kusanagi was smirking, "You'd rather handle things with your–"

"Izumo!"

Kusanagi chuckled and looked at Tatara and Kaori, "Sorry, I forget sometimes that even a woman who can handle a man like Mikoto has sensibilities."

"Thanks," Kaori muttered, "Well, I can see what Mikoto said is true. You definitely have a way with words."

The bartender chuckled, "I'll make it up to you," He looked at Mikoto, "So things are good?"

"Yeah," Mikoto sat down, "Get used to her being around because she'll be here more often."

"Good," Tatara smiled brightly, "Welcome to HOMRA!"

* * *

 **So, I want a boyfriend like Mikoto. LOOL is that perverted of me say? If it is I don't care. Like dayum, he's a savage beast. xD**

 **Anywhoo! Next updates will be done sometime later this week or early next week. I have a lot of studies to cram into my poor, little head before Friday and Monday! Boo! Christmas vacation starts on the 18 th and man, I can't wait.**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	5. CH V

**Ahhh, so much love for Breaking Point and its only halfway through. I love you guys. :')**

 **One of my reviewers privately messaged me and asked for a chapter on when I had done the flashback of the girls speaking of Kaori's firsts for the sex and a date, wanting a detailed chapter about what happened when Mikoto took our lovely OC for her dinner date so here it is! ;)**

 **Halloween Witch – Yeah, Mikoto's not good with words but he is in other ways, hehehehe~ ;) Perhaps one day we'll all be lucky to get a man like him... –sniff–**

 **Mrs.1DJessup – I'm so happy you love them as a pairing! :'D**

 **MissAnimeMiss – Yuck, well good luck to you as well with your finals! I know all of the studying that I did personally, if I don't get a good mark, Imma rain hellfire down on my teachers. LOOL ;(**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH V**

 **Along Came the Time – First Encounters**

* * *

"You sure about this?" Kaori followed Mikoto as he led her down the sidewalk, "I mean, you didn't have to take what Kusanagi said so literally."

Mikoto grunted and frowned, "I got sick a tired of him bitching about the fact all we do is sit around at his bar and do nothing, so just go along with it."

"I don't mind," Kaori giggled, "Maybe next time I'll have a chat with him and tell him these things aren't important to me."

As they walked up to a small privately-owned restaurant, Mikoto pushed the door open and lead Kaori inside where they were greeted by a young woman who brought them to seat near the far side beside a window. After handing them both a menu, she walked away to go and get them some water and to choose their meals.

"This is unlike you," Kaori grinned, "So to-the-point and stubborn. What caused this?"

Mikoto eyed the menu and quickly picked something out before looking at Kaori, "I told you, Kusanagi constantly badgered me about taking you on a date so here we are. Besides, I wanted to get out of there and be just the two of us."

"Aww," Kaori giggled, "How sweet of you."

From beside them, a middle-aged gentleman sat down and ordered coffee and an already-prepared sandwich from the small case they had near the register. His eyes travelled over to Kaori for a moment where they lingered before he looked at the waitress and thanked her for his order. Once she had left his table after telling the couple she would be back with a notepad for their order, his eyes landed on Kaori once more and they stayed there as a small grin pulled at his lips.

Kaori ignored him, but Mikoto shot the man a warning glare, "Order whatever you want," His eyes never left the man as the waitress came back to take their order.

"What's up with you, Mikoto?" Her brow rose but she shrugged him off and looked up at the waitress with a smile and gave her the order, followed by Mikoto's gruff voice before the waitress left them, "Mikoto?"

His eyes met hers, "Tatara tells me you've been helping him settle in the new recruits?"

"Yeah," She smiled, "Bando and Kamamoto are really starting fit in and usually help Kusanagi whenever he needs some extra hands for when the bar is open."

Mikoto nodded, his lips still in a tight line as he felt the man's eyes shift to his lover once again.

"Excuse me, but," The man gave her what he thought was a dashing grin, "What's a beautiful young woman like you doing with a rough guy like him? I hope he's only a friend."

Kaori looked at the man and blinked before smiling uneasily, "Well, uh..."

"I'm her boyfriend," Mikoto gave the man a hard glare, "So back off."

He chuckled, "Is that right? Well, that's unfortunate," He looked at Kaori again and ignored the deadly look he was currently receiving from a very possessive Mikoto, "Why don't you let a real man treat you to dinner instead of this teenager riff-raff?"

With an uneasy, somewhat pleasant smile Kaori looked at him, "Sorry, but I have to decline."

"No need to be shy in front of him," The man leaned against the table more towards her direction, "You can ditch him in front of me, I don't mind."

Kaori blinked several times and unknowingly reclined back in her seat away from the man, "Uh..."

"I strongly suggest you back off," Mikoto threatened, his amber eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

The man looked right at him and smirked, "I'm a black belt in karate, kid. Like I'm afraid of a punk who dropped out of high school."

Kaori's jaw dropped, "S-Sir!"

"Is that so?" Mikoto stared at him, surprising Kaori with his calm attitude, "Well, I suppose I'm over ruled."

"..." Kaori stared at Mikoto in disbelief as he slowly rose from his seat and began walking to the bathroom with his hands in his pockets, leaving her with the smirking male, "Mikoto!"

"Well, now that he's gone," The man took the empty seat and reached for her hands, gripping them tightly in his own as he flashed her another smile, "Why don't you tell me about yourself, beautiful?"

Kaori looked at the man and tried pulling her hands from his own and frowned slightly, "Sir, I don't think you understand. That's my boyfriend and I'm not leaving him for you."

"Come now, don't be like that!" He chuckled and grinned, running his thumbs over the tops of her hands, "Let's start over again. My name is Yuuto, what's yours?"

Slowly, Kaori began losing her patience as she weighed the pros and cons of slapping this man in the face before going to question Mikoto, or to sit here and wait for something to happen.

"I'm not interested, Yuuto," Kaori insisted, her chocolate eyes narrowing ever so slightly, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find–"

"I'm a business man, you know," He gripped her hands tighter and to the point that they began to feel uncomfortable in his grasp, "I own several different buildings and have a very prosperous business, so I can provide you the financial stability to go to college?"

Kaori stared at him, "Are you trying to buy me?"

"If that's what it takes to get a date," He was grinning, "I want to show you a woman of your caliber deserves a better man than scum like that."

That comment did it, making her eyes narrow fully and her lips pull down into a frown, "Excuse me, but I'm not some little whore you can bribe with pretty things or money so stop insulting my boyfriend before I–"

"Before you _what_?" He smirked, cutting her off and causing her face to turn red with anger.

"Before this happens."

Mikoto, who had silently made his way over and was now to the right of the man, grabbed the back of his head and slammed his face down onto the table before he laced his fingers into the man's hair to haul him to his feet. Disoriented, the man tried to reach for Mikoto's hand when he suddenly began thrashing.

"I'll say this once," Mikoto watched him as his hand became engulfed in flames and was currently burning the man's hair and flesh, "No amount of training you've got will ever come close to beating me, so back the hell off and leave my woman alone."

With enough force to give the man whiplash, Mikoto sent him flying down onto the floor beside their table and took his seat while he ignored the man's groaning.

Kaori looked at Mikoto and bit her bottom lip, "I was wondering when you were going to have enough of that."

"I went to the back and told the woman we changed our minds and ordered something else," Mikoto took her hands in his own and rubbed soothing circles into her flesh, "Bought me some time to have a friendly chat with our friend on the floor."

She smiled, "Oh, Mikoto."

The man, who finally put out the flames in his hair, slowly rose to his feet and glared down at Mikoto, "Who the fuck do you think you are?!"

"I'm this woman's man, that's who," Mikoto's eyes were glowing a dangerous red as he met the dark gray ones belonging to Yuuto, "I suggest you back off now before I kick your ass into the ground."

Yuuto glared daggers at the Red King, "I'll have you put to jail for this, punk!"

Kaori watched as he gathered his newspaper and his wallet before storming out of the restaurant, leaving a trail of smoke following behind him from his still burning hair. She couldn't help but grin at the fact, knowing he'd be receiving some entertaining looks from people passing by.

"You really did a number on him," Kaori looked at Mikoto and grinned, "Although, I'm proud you held your temper in check."

Mikoto grunted, "I figured if I lost my temper I'd have to deal with you scolding me so I opted for a more tactful approach."

Kaori giggled and nodded, looking at the waitress and thanked her with a smile when they received their food.

. . .

"Where to now?" Kaori allowed Mikoto to lead her out of the restaurant and smiled up at him, "

Mikoto looked at her, "My place. I have a surprise for you."

Kaori felt her cheeks heat up slightly, "You didn't have to get me anything."

"I wanted to," He led her down the sidewalk in the direction of his apartment.

As they walked, his eyes narrowed as he felt the presence of several people walking behind them. Conveniently, one of them was Yuuto, who Mikoto was aching to drive his fist through at that moment. Kaori gave Mikoto a questioning look halfway to his apartment, noticing he'd led her down a different street and gripped her hand more snugly.

"Mikoto?"

His eyes shifted to her, "We're being followed so just act normal."

She nodded slowly and brought her freehand up to wrap around his arm, "Is it him?"

Mikoto nodded as he pulled her into the park and began walking in the direction of the entrance to the trails, noticing the footsteps from behind them were growing closer and closer.

Only when they were a good ten minutes into the trail, did Mikoto hear a dark chuckle come from behind them. He forced Kaori to stop beside him and looked over his shoulder with narrowed amber orbs.

"So you decided to get some friends to protect you," Mikoto's eyes locked onto Yuuto, "I figured with all of that training you'd of come yourself to kick my ass."

Yuuto smirked and crossed his arms, "I don't need them to help me with you. They're here to make sure your beautiful friend there doesn't run off."

Kaori bristled and felt Mikoto relax against her, "Is that right?" He released Kaori's hand and turned to face the seven men behind them, "Well, you'll have to get through me to get to her."

"Easy," Yuuto walked forward as he began cracking his knuckles, "Don't expect me to go easy on you because you're a kid."

Mikoto eyed each of the smirking men before his eyes locked on Yuuto, "You touched my woman, so don't expect me to go easy on you."

Yuuto got into a stance and waited as Mikoto stood there still not making a move, "I'll let you make the first move. After that, it's all me."

"You'll regret that," Mikoto suddenly grinned, "But if you insist."

All eyes went wide as Mikoto's fingers curled into a fist before a searing red flame blazed angrily against his flesh. Before Yuuto could defend himself, Mikoto moved forward and slammed his fist mercilessly into his abdomen with such force, the elder male's body caved against his fist and caused a choking gasp to escape his lips.

Kaori watched and crossed her arms, seemingly unaffected by the way Mikoto discarded the male onto the ground without a care as he walked towards the others. She even smiled as he made quick work of the six who had followed Yuuto, sending each one crashing to the ground either unconscious or just barely hanging onto consciousness.

"Wow," Kaori whistled, "At least you got some of that pent up anger from a few days ago out."

Mikoto walked over to her, "Mm."

With ease, Mikoto lifted her up so she was sitting on his bicep as his walked over all of the fallen men before setting her back down on her feet a few meters away from them all.

Yuuto, who was barely awake after the hit he'd taken from the Red King, watched and glared angrily at their retreating forms, "Get back here you fucker!"

"Still want more, do you?" Mikoto looked back at him, "If I go back over there, you're not waking up again."

Yuuto struggled as he slowly pushed his upper body up off the ground, his eyes still narrowed and locked on Mikoto, "Try me, you little punk-ass bastard."

"Mikoto," Kaori looked up at him.

Mikoto stopped and turned to face him, "Close your eyes, Kaori. I don't want you to see this."

Knowing she couldn't talk him out of it she nodded and did as she was told, closing her eyes and bringing her hands up to better shield her sight.

In a matter of seconds, she heard the man screaming in agony as the sound of flames crackling around the area consumed all seven of the men. By the time the screaming stopped, Mikoto had gently pried her hands away from her face as her eyes opened to meet his own.

"Like you said before," He kissed her forehead, watching as she looked over to see nothing had been left behind, "No blood, no bone, and no ash."

"Isn't that the motto circling HOMRA's sign above Kusanagi's bar?" Kaori's brow rose.

Mikoto nodded, "We discussed adding that and he liked your words just as much as I did."

"Well, to avoid copyright infractions, I require payment for my saying to be used," Kaori grinned up at him, not at all bothered by what had just happened.

Mikoto smirked down at her, "Payment, eh?"

A giggle escaped her lips as he took her hand and lead her back to his apartment, using shortcuts to make their time outdoors go quicker. When inside, Mikoto and Kaori quickly tangled themselves within each other, thoroughly enjoying the fact that no one from HOMRA would be there to hear as they enjoyed a passionate embrace.

"You know," Kaori laid on his chest and smiled down at him, "I would have taken a kiss and a compliment for payment, but I'm not complaining."

Mikoto ran his fingers through her hand with his free hand, "I figured you'd enjoy this more."

"Mm," Kaori leaned down and kissed him gently, "It's nice not having those knowing looks being cast our way from Kusanagi, even if it is just this once."

Mikoto nodded, "I hand over the keys to this place in three days, so get used to being around the boys."

"I already am," She smiled, "I can handle all of the looks and the grins. Don't you worry about that, gorgeous."

His lips pulled into a grin, "Gorgeous?"

"Don't be modest on me now," Kaori touched the tip of his nose with her finger, "I see all of the looks you get when the ladies come into the bar."

"That doesn't matter to me," He looked up at her.

"I know," She smiled.

Mikoto shifted, "Before I forget," He gently pushed her off his chest and got up, walking over to the only closet he had in the small room and pulled out something that was tall and thin wrapped in plain white paper, "For you."

Kaori blushed as he handed it to her, sitting himself back down on the futon beside her as he watched her slowly pull the paper away to reveal a single tall, blood red orchid.

"Mikoto..." She looked at him with slightly wide eyes.

He watched her and reached up to stroke her cheek, "You told me you loved orchids, so I figured I as long as it was that flower you wouldn't care what color it was."

"It's absolutely perfect," She smiled and leaned over to claim his lips in a gentle kiss, "I'll prepare a spot in your room back at the bar right beside the bonsai tree Tatara gave me."

Mikoto watched her, "It could be our room, you know."

She looked at him, "You want me to move in with you?"

"Why not?" He shrugged, "You're with me more than you are at home, so it only makes sense."

Kaori felt her cheeks heat up slightly as she looked down at the orchid held in her hands and thought over his proposition. She remained silent for a few moments, wondering how her mother would react to her daughter moving into a room above Kusanagi's bar with the one man she detested more than Kaori's father. Knowing the way she would react, Kaori felt a small smile pull at her lips.

"My mother will be furious," Kaori half sighed, half giggled, "But the golden child will still be home, so I don't think she'll miss me too much."

Mikoto felt the weight on his shoulders immediately lift, "You'll do it?"

"Yeah," She looked at him and smirked, "But you're coming with me to tell my mother than I'm leaving."

"Fuck no," Mikoto glared, "Your mother will kill me."

Kaori shrugged, "It's a good thing you're virtually indestructible and heal extremely fast."

"I think your mother would find a way to end my life, regardless of my powers as a King," Mikoto sighed, running his hand through his hair, "I'll do it, if not to see your bitch of a mother but to help you move your shit before she can lock you in the house for good."

 **\- x -**

"So, tell me again why you had to bring me along with you?" Kusanagi's brow rose as he stood behind Mikoto and Kaori, watching her as she fumbled with her house key, "Is she really that bad?"

Mikoto looked back at him, "Kaori's mother is a bit of a psychopath, I think that says a lot for itself," His eyes flickered over to HOMRA's van where both Bando and Kamamoto waited patiently, "We'll pack the van before she gets home and then wait for her to show up."

Kusanagi chuckled and nodded, pocketing his hands as they all entered the house after Kaori unlocked the door. When inside, they each kicked their shoes off and made their way upstairs to quickly pack her bags. After emptying all of her drawers, her closet and the cabinet that held all of her important pieces given to her by her grandparents and father, Kusanagi and Mikoto brought her luggage outside and set it down in the back of the van.

As they packed the last item inside the vehicle, Kaori's mother pulled into the driveway and got out of the car with a scowl on her face, "What in the hell is going on?" Her eyes landed on Mikoto's face and the look in her eyes immediately went cold, "Why the fuck are you here?"

"Mum," Kaori stood in the doorway, "We need to have a little talk."

Slamming the door to her car shut, she stormed up to the front door and purposefully shoved Kaori back into the house leaving all of the boys to watch with shocked expressions.

"I told you she's a psychopath," Mikoto muttered, rushing up to the door and made his way inside.

Kusanagi watched as he scratched his head, "Damn," He looked at Bando and Kamamoto, "Be ready to leave as soon as they walk out that door, because I have a feeling that we'll have a fight on our hands if we stay any longer than needed."

Kamamoto nodded, looking back over to the door with a frown, "She's such a nice girl, too. It makes no sense."

"I know," Kusanagi sighed, "It doesn't help that Mikoto has no tact when it comes to these situations."

. . .

"Like hell I'm letting you move out with _him_ ," Kaori's mother was furious, glaring at the two of them as they stood several feet away from her, "You're bringing your stuff back into this house and you're staying here for the rest of the evening."

Kaori shook her head, "No, I'm not," Her mother narrowed her eyes as Kaori stood still and challenged her, "If I stay here any longer, I'll just end up leaving behind your back. You told me yourself that I should have stayed with dad, but you couldn't let me leave because you'd miss out on the child support from both be and Uhie."

Kaori's mother scoffed nastily, "If I'd of known you would have become such a problem child, I wouldn't have fought to keep custody of you," Her eyes landed on Mikoto as she glared at him, "Getting involved with riff-raff like him of all things. I raised you better than that, Kaori."

"Stop insulting him, because he's better than any of the men you've ever brought home," Kaori bit back angrily, not caring what she said at that moment.

Her mother's eyes went slightly wide, "Excuse me?" She stepped forward, but Mikoto also stepped forward and moved so Kaori would be behind him should her mother raise a hand to her, "Are you calling me a whore?"

"No, I'm not," Kaori glared, "But if you'd of actually taken the time to see how happy I was with Mikoto, we wouldn't be in this situation. Instead, Uhie has you shoved so far up her ass that you can't see anything else but what she does."

"That's because your sister is actually a good child, unlike you," She snarled, "A worthless, half-bred child that I should have aborted before I met my husband."

Kaori's face dropped and her chest ached at that, "What?"

"I had an affair before I married my ex-husband," She crossed her arms, "Just like you, I was swept away by some scum off the streets and had a few weeks of rough, hot sex before I finally opened my eyes and saw that he wasn't worthy to be with me. I met Uhie's father after that and simply told him that you were his when I was confirmed pregnant, but I know now that you have that garbage's genes ever since the day you met this bastard. One day, you'll know that when you see what this piece of filth can't give to you."

Kaori stared at her in shock, not knowing how to react at the revelation. Meanwhile, Mikoto stood there and took every insult thrown at him in stride. He never moved or bit back a remark, knowing his two-cents in this would only lead to a more brutal verbal assault towards Kaori.

"How does it feel to be following in my footsteps, Kaori?" Her mother mused with a grin, "Will it be worth it when he can't provide for your and you come crawling back to me, pregnant and worthless because he took everything from you?"

"Shut up," Kaori muttered, looking down at the floor so she wouldn't have to meet her mother's taunting gaze, "You know nothing about my relationship."

"I've seen enough to know all there is to know," She said coolly, "You're headed down a road of disappointment, but you're too stubborn to see it with your own eyes or to follow some advice from your mother."

Mikoto finally had enough of her mother belittling her, "You know nothing of what you're talking about," Her eyes glared harshly at him, "If you were any type of person you'd realize your environment is poising her. She's coming to live with me whether you like it or not, where she'll be around friends who think of her as part of their family."

"You shut the fuck up," She spat angrily, "You're the reason why we're in this mess. Why my daughter? Were you hoping to marry her and enjoy a nice cut of her inheritance? I can assure you that even in my grave, you'll receive nothing."

Mikoto scoffed, "As if I need your money. I'm in this for her, not you and your dumb fucking family."

"Get out," Her mother was scathing at this point, "Get out, and don't you dare come back," As Mikoto reached for Kaori's hand, her mother stepped forward and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, "I told you, she's _not going with you_."

His eyes narrowed, "You're going to stop your soon-to-be eighteen-year-old from moving out?"

"Mum!" Kaori rushed to step in between them, "Enough! I'm leaving, and you're not stopping me."

Before either Mikoto or Kaori could react, the elder woman's hand struck her daughter's face leaving a burning red mark in its wake, "If you leave this house, you're no longer my daughter."

Mikoto tensed considerably against Kaori, but was pulled to the door by his lover as she hastily put her shoes on and slammed the door open. His eyes never left the back of her head as she quickly lead him to the van and got into the back with him where Bando was sitting on one of the seats in front of a computer.

"Fuck, are you okay?" Bando asked urgently, noticing Kaori's pale face was already bruising where the red marks were still very apparent.

Mikoto shot him a look that silenced him immediately, keeping his arm around Kaori's shoulder as Kusanagi drove back to the bar as quick as possible.

. . .

"Mikoto, its fine," Kaori brushed his hands away from her before sighing loudly, "Mikoto, really."

Mikoto looked down at her, "Shut up and let me do it."

Kaori stared up at him with a frown, not bothering to argue with him as he held a small bag of ice to her cheek while Kusanagi prepared a small concoction to help discolor the bruising on her face.

"If I had of known that's what we would have walked into, I would never have waited for her to come home before we left," Kaori said sadly, "I'm sorry you had to hear all of that, Mikoto."

He shrugged, "I don't give a shit what she said about me," His eyes met hers and she could see worry swirling in his amber pools, "How are you handling all of this?"

"You mean, finding out that I've been lied to my entire life?" Kaori laughed softly, "It makes sense now why I've been treated like hell by my family ever since I was little while Uhie was praised as an angel."

Mikoto watched her, "You're not worthless."

"I know," Kaori sighed and closed her eyes, "I just wish I could have avoided that entire conversation and left with her telling me off instead of all of that."

There was a knock on the bathroom door as Kusanagi stepped in with a small bowl in his hands, "Here," He held it out to Mikoto, who took it and looked at its contents, "It's vanilla extract, vinegar, some Epsom salt and parsley leaves mixed together with aloe vera to make a paste. I made enough for a few days so that should help dramatically before it turns a dark purple. Leave it on for about twenty minutes each time and it should to the trick."

Kaori looked at him and smiled small, "Thanks, Izumo."

"No worries," He smiled, "Anything to help."

Excusing himself, Kusanagi left Mikoto and Kaori alone once again as the Red King pulled the bag of ice away from her cheek. Already the color had begun turning an aggressive purple, so he took a considerable amount on two fingers and gently rubbed it onto her face. When he was done, he pulled a large patch from the box that held an assortment of bandages and pressed it onto her face to cover up the spot.

"I wonder where Izumo learned to make this," Kaori examined the contents of the small bowl before looking to Mikoto, who shrugged and took her hand.

She followed him silently as they made their way downstairs to the main bar area, where the two walked over to the leather couch the Red King usually occupied and sat down.

"All patched up?" Kamamoto asked with a smile as he set down two glasses filled with what Mikoto assumed were alcoholic beverages down in front of them.

Kaori smiled at him and brought her hands up to elegantly flaunt the bandage, "Didn't you know, this bandage is the new look these days."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm, "Of course."

Kusanagi smiled, "At least there's a smile on your face again, although Mikoto still looks miserable."

Said man reached for his glass and quickly emptied it before setting it back down so he could sit back against the back of the couch, swinging his arm up so it was behind Kaori and closed his eyes. She smiled as she felt him relax, allowing herself to finally lean against him and sighed contently.

* * *

 **Well, shitty middle to the chapter but with a decent outcome! :)**

 **Also, that remedy Kusanagi gave to Kaori for her face is actually something I use myself whenever I have a nasty bruise forming and it works like a charm. I bruise even if you look at me some days (it's bad, really LOOL) so I had to come up with something to avoid looking like a leopard. xD**

 **With the eighteenth quickly approaching, that means more updates and soon a new series with our darling Nagare and an already thought-out female OC! I'm so bloody excited to write that miniseries out, you've all got no idea LOOL**

 **Next chapter will be done once I'm finally on vacation, unless there's no school again tomorrow then I'll most likely pop out another chapter! :)**

 **As always, I love you all so very much! :D**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	6. CH VI

**Ahhhh, happy holidays everyone even if this is a day late! :)**

 **AstridClaire – Welcome to the family! :D And yes, this will be in correlation to the main story and we'll see how other members will be coming into the HOMRA family! :) I'll continue with that after this chapter!**

 **Halloween Witch – Yeahhhhh, Kaori's mum is a psychopath. LOOL Could be worse! As for Kaori's real dad. . . Perhaps we'll see him? Perhaps not, I haven't decided yet. As for how Mikoto managed to control his temper, it just goes to show you how much he loves his lovely lady! And yes, I was gushing while I typed up that piece with the orchid! ;)**

 **MissAnimeMiss – Well, there's still a lot left to go! I'm definitely going to be putting out random chapters with random moments that involve our lovely family and keeping this going for a while! ;)**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH VI**

 **The Beginning – The Terrible Twosome**

* * *

"Kaori!" Kusanagi walked into the bar as all of HOMRA returned from their patrol, "We brought you a gift."

Kaori walked out from the kitchen and blinked, "Huh?"

Mikoto walked in after Kusanagi and walked over to his lover, leaning down to press his lips to her forehead before stepping aside so she could see two teenagers walk in as they looked around with wide eyes.

Kaori gasped, "What the hell?! Why did you bring two middle school students here?!"

"They wanted to come," Kusanagi chuckled, "Besides, there's a hell of a lot of Green clansmen outside trying to fuck with us, so the King decided to go pay them all a visit."

Her chocolate eyes looked over to watch the two kids and saw how mesmerized the russet boy was as he continued to look around, while the one with neat black hair continued to look around like he was uncomfortable.

"You guys are really something," Kaori sighed and pushed passed Mikoto to walk towards the two.

Tatara grinned and wrapped his arms around both of their shoulders and pointed them in Kaori's direction, "This is the lovely lady I was telling you about! She's like a mother to all of us, and is technically our Red Queen as she's Mikoto's lover."

"Wow!" The russet stared up at her with red cheeks and the same wide eyes, "I'm Yata Misaki but call me Yata!"

Kaori giggled and extended her hand, only causing Yata's cheeks to flare even more, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kaori Watari."

"This is Fushimi Saruhiko," Tatara introduced, "He hasn't talked much since we picked them up."

Chocolate browns met onyx orbs as Fushimi and Kaori stared into one another's eyes, seemingly having some sort of silent conversation. Yata watched the two and blinked as he waited for one of them to speak, when suddenly Fushimi's hand slowly lifted to extend towards her. Thrilled, Kaori smiled and wrapped her own smaller appendage around his own.

"Make yourselves comfortable. I was just finishing up dinner and you two are more than welcome to stay," Kaori smiled at them both, "I've learned from experience to make a lot for when Rikio is around, so I've got plenty to go around."

"Yes!" Kamamoto grinned brightly, his fist being thrown into the air while Bando also celebrated.

Kusanagi went behind the bar and looked as Fushimi walked over and sat down on one of the stools a few seats away from Mikoto, "Want something to drink?"

Fushimi never answered him as he sat there silently, his eyes locked on both Kaori and Yata as the younger of the two talked about how he always cooked for his younger siblings or for his entire family when his mother was sick. Kaori would giggle and listen to him banter on and on, the smile she's worn upon greeting still glued on her face.

"Is she always like that?" Fushimi asked slowly, still not looking away from the woman.

Mikoto's eyes landed on him as Kusanagi nodded, "She and Tatara are like our constant rays of sunshine around here. I don't think anything really puts those two down," He set a glass of water in front of Fushimi and crossed his arms, "The boys around here call her 'mum', because she's always there when they need to get something off their chest. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she could have been one hell of a psychologist if she'd decided to go to university."

"Is that so?" Fushimi finally looked away and eyed the glass of water, "Misaki is getting fairly comfortable here."

"And you're still uncomfortable?"

Fushimi never answered him as he mulled in his own thoughts.

Meanwhile, Yata was now sitting with Kamamoto and Bando as they all bickered about a game the three had all had a chance to play. It ended up in laughter on Yata's behalf since Kamamoto spouted out his first name, only angering the teen but from the observer's perspective it looked as though it had been intentional. Bando grinned and crossed his arms, watching as Yata flailed his arms and angrily spat insults towards the larger of the two.

"Jeez, what the hell is going on in here?" Chitose asked, blinking as he and Dewa made their way through the door, "Oh, shit! Since when do you let students in here, Kusanagi?"

Kusanagi chuckled, "It's a long story."

Dewa looked at Yata and watched him for a moment before looking over at Fushimi, "Complete opposites."

Suddenly, all went silent as the sound of glass crashing and a loud yelp from the kitchen caught everyone's attention. It wasn't long before Mikoto was off his stool and through the door, as well as a worried Tatara with a couple of clean cloths Kusanagi had thrown to him.

"Kaori!" Mikoto made his way over the glass and helped Kaori into a sitting position, "The hell happened?"

Kaori took a moment to gather her bearings and frowned, "I was reaching up to grab a few plates like always when I... Well, I think I tripped on something?"

"You hit your head," Mikoto sighed and watched as Tatara kneeled down beside her and pressed the cloth to a bloodied spot on her head, "Do you feel nauseous?"

She shook her head slowly, "No, just dizzy."

Mikoto stared into her eyes for a moment before nodding, "Alright, let's get you on the sofa."

"I'll clean up and don't worry about lunch," Tatara smiled at her, "I'll handle it. You just rest."

Kaori frowned, "You guys..."

The Red King picked her up in his arms with ease as she continued to press the cloth to the spot just above her temple while he made his way out the door and towards one of the leather sofas. Chitose and Dewa watched worriedly as he set her down, both rushing to the kitchen to see if they could help with anything. Off to the side, Kamamoto had rushed over to sit with Kaori while Yata and Bando watched with worried expressions.

"Stay put," Mikoto ordered her as he shot Kusanagi a knowing look before disappearing upstairs to go find the first aid kit.

Kusanagi rounded the counter and made his way over with a glass of water, setting it down in front of her and sighed, "This is the third time this month you've taken a nasty dizzy spell and fallen over, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Kaori sighed, "I don't know what's going on, but my doctor said that everything looks good."

"You haven't been sleeping much," The bartender commented, having noticed the dark circles forming under her eyes two weeks ago, "Something on your mind?"

Kamamoto looked at her and frowned, "Us all going out on more patrols with hardly any protection isn't worrying you, is it?"

"I would be lying if I said no to that," She closed her eyes but quickly opened them again when Kusanagi gave her a sharp slap on her arm, "Hey!"

"Don't close your eyes in case you have a concussion," He frowned, "Might hit you now, might hit you later but just try not to close your eyes."

Kaori sighed deeply, "I know..."

Fushimi watched her and unknowingly began comparing her to all the females he'd ever encountered in his life. Starting with his own mother, he was pleasantly surprised that this woman before him wasn't a complete disappointment like his own flesh and blood had been. The way she looked at all of the men around her made even his guarded heart shudder with contentment. In regards to his second cousin, Kaori was also a lot more tolerable than the annoying brat that followed him and Yata around for weeks.

He watched as Kamamoto continued to poke Kaori every so often to make sure she was still fully conscious, making her laugh whenever he'd make his attempts and smile when she would crack a lame joke to show him that she was fine. Tatara quickly joined them after cleaning up as well as Mikoto after finding the kit, both making their way over the Red Queen.

"Hey Saru," Yata walked over and looked at him, "Do you think she's really going to be okay? My sister hit her head once hard enough to make herself bleed and my mother had to take her to the hospital."

Fushimi frowned, "Why don't you go and ask her yourself?"

Kusanagi watched the two, somewhat amused as Yata's cheeks puffed out and his eyes narrowed slightly as though he were glaring up an older brother, "She'll be fine," When they both looked back at him he offered them a smile, "The girl's tough as nails, plus she's in great hands. Tatara's usually the one to patch up all our boys after they come back bloodied and beaten, so he's had tons of practice."

Both turned to look back over to the couch, watching as he opened the kit and pulled out a glass that was sealed in a plastic zip-lock bag before pulling it out to pour some alcohol to sterilize everything in.

"Oh, gross!" Yata had to look away when a needle was pulled out, followed by a spindle of thread, "You're seriously going to let him sew your cut?!"

Kaori went pale and whined, "Oh, I hate this..."

Mikoto sat beside her and pulled her onto his lap so she had no hope of escape, anchoring her body down to his own with his arms as she attempted to struggle but suddenly felt sick, "Sit still or you're going to be sick everywhere."

Kamamoto quickly got up to go retrieve something she could vomit in should she need to as Tatara continued preparing the needle, "I'll freeze it, don't worry. The nurse was really nice enough to give me enough to last for a while, so you won't feel a thing!"

"You sure?" Kaori asked slowly, her voice cracked as she looked away, "If you lie to me and it hurts, I'll make sure to puke all over you, Tatara."

He chuckled, "Fine, you've got a deal."

"I need a distraction," Kaori's eyes flickered to the cup, noticing the hooked needle and felt queasy again, "Now."

Both Tatara and Mikoto looked as Fushimi made his way over and sat down beside them, his eyes locked on Kaori's, "For a woman seemingly unafraid of anything, I find it amusing you're afraid of a little needle."

Kaori frowned, "I never said I didn't have any fears."

"You're with a King," Fushimi glanced at Mikoto, "From what I've gathered from my own personal research and from what these men have told me, being around a King is dangerous and comes with a lot of risks. In all of that, you're the closest anyone could get to a man with enough power to cause a natural disaster. To me, that seems pretty reckless but also very dauntless of you."

Kaori looked at him fully, not realizing Tatara had already squeezed out enough freezing to do the job and was now preparing his needle and thread, "You misunderstand, Saruhiko. Just because Mikoto is a King and I'm with him doesn't mean I'm any more brave or confident around him than any other should be. He's still a man, just like you and all of the others in this bar. I know the risks I'm taking by being with him, and I would lie if I didn't admit that the fact he could lose himself at any random moment either today or in hours didn't terrify me."

"So then," His brows knit together, as if he was trying to figure something out himself, "Why do you stay with someone so dangerous?"

Tatara began his work and smiled softly, sending Fushimi an appreciative look before giving Mikoto a stern glare to silence whatever he was about to say.

"One day you'll learn that you do crazy things when you're in love," Was Kaori's simple reply, "As for all of the boys here, they're just like family to me. I never got to experience what it was like to walk into a place where people who love you waited for you with smiling faces. My mother isn't exactly what you'd call the perfect role model, but I learned a lot from her," She smiled softly at him, "I learned how to accept others for who and what they are, and to cast judgement aside despite the fact we're all from different backgrounds."

Fushimi frowned, not entirely knowing how to respond to her. In fact, her words set him for a loop as he thought about his own family and his experiences up to this point that led him here. First, he'd met Yata and finally knew what it was like to have someone care about you when you were ill and now, he was sitting face-to-face with a woman who possibly understood his own perspective.

"You and I are going to sit down and have a heart-to-heart soon," Kaori decided as she reached out and touched Fushimi's arm gently in a very motherly way, "I think it's safe to say you and I have similar stories to share, and I haven't even heard what you've got to say yet."

When his eyes met hers, he nodded slowly before looking at Tatara.

"Finished!" Tatara grinned and cleaned up, "Thank you for being a distraction, Saruhiko!"

Fushimi nodded slowly while Kaori looked at Tatara, "What?" She was completely stunned, even as she reached up to feel where he'd plastered a small piece of gauze over the stitches, "You did that that fast?!"

"I'm that good," He winked and got up with everything he'd used to go dispose of what was now useless, "Besides, once Saruhiko sat down and started talking, you never noticed I had put the freezing on your wound and started stitching you up!"

Kaori blinked and looked from one to the other, "Wow," She frowned, "So does this mean I can close my eyes now?"

"After you've taken a couple of these," Mikoto released one of his arms from his iron-like grip around her waist and held out two tablets to her, "Once the freezing wears off you'll probably be hurting."

She nodded and took them with the glass of water that had already been on the table, "Thanks, love."

"Anytime," He smiled small.

Fushimi watched the two closely before getting up and walking back over to his spot at the bar, where Kusanagi had been cleaning his glasses to prepare for opening later on in the afternoon.

. . .

After lunch, everyone settled down in their respective spots while Tatara was in the kitchen cleaning up the dishes. Yata sat with the boys and was talking fluidly to them with a bright grin on his face, while Fushimi sat off to the side and watched them from a safe distance.

Anyone could see the taller of the two was uncomfortable being around the HOMRA boys, but he remained there because of his best friend.

"Saruhiko," Kaori sat down beside him and smiled, "Why don't you go over and talk to them?"

He frowned, "I'm not much of a people person."

"You could be if you opened yourself up to it," She winked.

A scowl formed on his face, finding her cheery, happy personality to be bombarding but not something he wanted to push away.

Fushimi didn't know how to take Kaori, or how to gauge her like he did the others. There was something about her that he couldn't help but feel a pull to, and that made him uneasy. There had only ever been one other time in his life when that happened, and it had been entirely unexpected such as this situation right now.

"You know, before I went to a public school, my mother forced me into a private school for the majority of my childhood," Kaori sat back and looked over to the boys, "I never got socialized like they did, and for that I was envious. Finally, mum decided to put me through to a junior high school just outside of town after I'd literally begged her to let me go. She's from money, so she figured my sister and I should have been on higher standards."

Fushimi looked at her, "You got bullied?"

"Oh, ruthlessly," Kaori giggled, "I was picked on for being the spoiled rich kid that couldn't defend herself. That is, until Mikoto stepped into my life and scared everyone off. My mother, as you can imagine, was _thrilled_ at the fact I'd met him and eventually began dating him. She told me he was a worthless piece of street trash that only wanted me for my money and threatened to put me into an international private school many times as a way to break us up, but I never did give her the satisfaction."

"Sounds like something my mother would have said," Fushimi sighed, "She reminds me a lot of your mother from what you've said already."

Kaori frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that. My mum isn't exactly what you'd call a nice person."

"She's a psychopath," Mikoto glared, looking over at her, "To this day she's still clinically insane."

Kaori looked at him and grinned, "So does that mean I'll turn into a crazy person when I have kids, too?"

He grunted, "If you do, I'll make sure to change that pretty quickly."

"Oou," She winked before turning back to Fushimi, "Anyways, in short of all of this, I just wanted you to know that you're not alone. We may have had different upbringings but I can understand where you come from. I was void of all things that a child should have been given while growing up, because my sister was always the golden child. Hell, I'm not even fully related to her. My mother decided to spring that on me the day I left with Mikoto, so it all made sense why I was treated like an outcast."

Fushimi frowned, "My father was never around," His expression turned dark, "Not that I wanted him around."

She put her hand on his arm comfortingly, "I had the chance to meet Niki Fushimi just once in my life," His eyes went wide as he stared at her, "I was about thirteen when my mother and step father invited him over for coffee, and all I can say is that he's quite the individual."

"He's a monster," Fushimi muttered, "That bastard is a monster, simple as that."

"You look like him," Kaori ignored the glare Fushimi shot him and recalled a time where Niki Fushimi had tormented Uhie about her school project while her parents watched without stepping in, "But you came into your own person, which is all that matters. You may share his DNA, but that's only genetics. Personality traits be damned, you are nothing like your father in that way."

He frowned and sat back, "The only thing he gave me was his intelligence and even then, I can still hear him laughing at me."

"It'll get better with time," Kaori assured, "It took me a long time to get over my mother always praising my sister, and it's going to take an even longer time for what she said to me the day I left but really, it does slowly get better."

Fushimi nodded slowly, "I suppose."

Kaori smiled, "I do."

The two sat silently for a moment before Fushimi slowly pushed himself off the sofa, cautiously walking over to the group as Yata grinned brightly at him.

Mikoto watched as he sat down and crossed his arms, his face impassive as he pretended not to be interested but his eyes were curious while he listened to the entire conversation. Amber pools flickered over to the couch, where he saw a triumphant grin on Kaori's face before she cast him a wink.

Mikoto rolled his eyes, "Of course."

* * *

 **Ahhhh~ Now we have the terrible twosome in the group! :D**

 **Originally, I was going to have a chapter with just Anna first, but then I realized that Fushimi went with Tatara to the facility Anna was supposed to be housed at so then I had to retype everything. LOOL DERP.**

 **Anywhoo! I'm off to the barn to go visit my not-so-little pony (he's huge – 16hh for those who speak horse) and then when I come back, I will be finishing up another couple of chapters to my other works!**

 **Stay tuned for those of you interested in the Hisui Nagare miniseries I'll be releasing. It's unfortunate that I couldn't post it yesterday when I said I was going to, but the first chapter is ready and will be out very shortly! ;)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	7. CH VII

**A very late welcome, 2016! :D**

 **First update since December and already I'm feeling fairly optimistic about this series and the Yata/Reina one I will be posting in the very near future~ :)**

 **MissAnimeMiss – Yeah, I hear ya! I was crying like a baby when Mikoto appeared behind Anna. It was like a waterfall of feels all at once. LOOL ;(**

 **Mrs.1DJessup – Crying? Why were you crying? :o**

 **So in Series of Fortunate Events, we never really found out how Meira met all of HOMRA, but now we do in this update! It's not exactly my favorite chapter, but I felt like it was necessary. :)**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH VII**

 **Rhythm of the Night – First Experiences**

* * *

"Stop looking so petrified, Kaori," Meira giggled as she led the stiff girl behind her towards the front door to her home, "It's just one night and I promise my friends are very friendly."

Kaori's face was pale, "I don't doubt that, but Meira... I don't know how to dance? Why would I want to go to a place that you do nothing but dance?"

"You're being too modest," She winked, "Besides, it's just to get you out of that bar and away from all those boys. Ever since I met you, you've been too reserved. Rikio told me all you do is sit around with your boyfriend and do nothing. A beautiful girl like yourself needs to actually go out and see the world."

"Meira," Kaori frowned.

"Oh, don't get the wrong idea," She blushed, "I don't mean find another man, I'm just saying, being around all that testosterone isn't good for any woman. It's why when Rikio and I are together, I have him leave the bar for a while although admittedly, I've never met any of HOMRA's members."

"They're all perfectly normal," Kaori sighed, "Well, all of them except for Fushimi. He's an intriguing one that both Kusanagi and I are competing against to crack."

Meira opened the door and led her up to her bedroom, "Yeah, Rikio told me about Fushimi. He's one of the two kids you all took in, right?"

"Well, we didn't exactly take them in," Kaori corrected as she followed her, "We more so gave them the option to stay should they wish. They both have homes to return to, but they choose to stay with us."

The pretty young woman with long brown hair in front of Kaori turned and smiled at her, "They obviously feel safe enough to want to stay."

"They're good kids," Kaori smiled, "Complete opposites, though. Misaki is loud and obnoxious while Saruhiko is very quiet and reserved."

Meira grinned, "I hope I get to see that for myself one day, but Rikio doesn't want to me to get involved with HOMRA because he's afraid I'll distract him."

"Oh, if that isn't the biggest crock of bull shit," Kaori muttered to herself and rolled her eyes, "If I hear that excuse coming from any of their mouths..."

"Is something wrong?" Meira blinked.

Kaori looked at her, "Mikoto once told me that he wanted to separate me from all of this and broke up with me because he didn't want me involved with HOMRA, so I'm a little cold when it comes to those excuses," She smiled at the brown eyed girl, "Sorry if I seemed mad."

Meira nodded and smiled, "All good," She quickly went to her closet and opened the door, "You're a little bigger in the bust than I am so my clothing may fit a little more snugly than what you're used to, but in a club no one really cares how loose or tight your shirt is."

"... You're really making me do this?" Kaori's face paled again, and suddenly she looked as though she was going pass out.

Meira looked over at her and gave her an obvious grin, "Of course! Don't think that just because you got me distracted that I changed my mind!"

"But, Meira!"

" _No buts_!"

After choosing a beautiful wine red dress that was perfectly fitted in all the right spots, Meira forced Kaori into her attached bathroom and waited patiently for the girl to change. After ten minutes of waiting, she slowly walked to the door and opened it, cautiously peeking inside to see if Kaori had recklessly escaped through the small window out of desperation.

"Kaori?" She blinked when the brunette standing in front of the large vanity mirror looked over to her with wide chocolate colored eyes, "What's wrong?"

"I can't wear this!" Kaori turned to her and held her arms out, "It makes my boobs pop out and it's way too short! If I were to bend over, everyone behind me would get a show!"

Meira sighed before grinning innocently, "It looks fine, and it's a cocktail dress! They're supposed to be on the shorter side. Besides, it looks beautiful on you!" She stepped in and walked over to her before gripping her shoulders to turn her body so she was facing the mirror again and zipped up the back for her, "Red looks awesome on you, by the way."

"Mikoto tells me that all the time," Kaori muttered with her cheeks staining red, "Meira, do I have to?"

"Yes," Meira repeated with a fierceness that even startled Kaori, "Now stop complaining and let me do your hair!"

Kaori muttered something under her breath and let Meira play with her long, dark locks. Deciding to go along with Kaori's natural volume, Meira simply added more of loose, bouncy curl to the ends and smiled with satisfaction. After several minutes of more complaining on the elder woman's part, she successfully managed to paint a stunning mask onto Kaori's face.

Winged liner to perfection and an exotic, alluring crimson eye shadow to match her dress – Kaori was a sight to behold.

Meira stood back and admired her work, "You should have been a model, Kaori. You're gorgeous!"

"Thanks..." Kaori looked away, clearly embarrassed that she was really going through with this, "What about you?"

"Oh, it'll only take me about ten minutes to get ready," Meira smiled, "I figured I would focus on you since you're so against this."

Kaori sighed and walked over to Meira's bed, lowering herself down onto the soft mattress while she watched her normally bubbly and innocent friend go through her closet once more. When she pulled out a strapless, sparkly blue dress she grabbed a matching strapless bra and whisked off to the bathroom but left the door open.

"Can I make a confession?" Kaori propped her chin on top of her hand as she leaned forward onto her legs while she watched Meira after she'd changed.

"Of course," The other girl smiled as she curled her hair, "I don't embarrass easily or get insulted, so go ahead!"

Kaori waited for a moment before smiling small, "You're nothing like how I pictured you when Rikio was telling me about you for the first time. He made you seem so pure and full of innocence, but here you are, dressing me in some racy dress that boys will be all over me for and talking about dancing in clubs. When did this happen?"

"Rikio knows I only do this every now and then," Meira admitted with a grin, "But you're right, I tend to hide this side of me but like every other girl, I do enjoy dressing up and going out with my friends. Since you're also my friend, I plan on bringing you along against your will!"

The girl in red deadpanned, "How thoughtful," She sighed and suddenly froze, "Oh, God..."

"What?" Meira looked at her urgently.

"If Mikoto finds out I'm going out to a club and he's not with me," Kaori slapped her hand to her forehead, "I'm doomed if he comes looking for me."

"Is he possessive?" Meira frowned, "Rikio hasn't told me much about your relationship, but he did say that Mikoto keeps a close eye on you."

Kaori looked at her, "Well, Mikoto's extremely protective of what's his and that includes me, but we've been through a lot so it's understandable. If I was to tell you the entire story then you wouldn't be looking at me like that."

"One day I hope you will," Meira smiled.

. . .

"Hello ladies!"

The five girls, including a reluctant Kaori and a happy Meira, walked up to a rather large, bulky man who stood at the entrance to the particular club they'd arrived at and grinned as they approached.

"Hello Daisuke!" Kazue, a rather tall, slim woman dressed in a racy black dress, smiled up at him flirtatiously, "We come bearing a gift."

Kaori went red as Kazue motioned back to her, somewhat shrinking under his gaze, "Hi..."

"Poor thing, she looks terrified," He chuckled and winked, "Don't worry, you'll be fine! You're in safe hands under my watch, beautiful!"

Mika, Meira and Nao grinned as Kaori stared at the man absolutely dumbfounded, pulling her inside as Daisuke opened the door for them.

Once inside, Kaori immediate wished she was in the middle of a fight between clan enemies rather than being where she was at that moment.

The music, albeit catchy and rhythmic, was booming loudly in her ears and the strobe lights were flashing much too brightly for her eyes. She flinched as a couple pushed passed their group of five and felt disturbed by the fact everyone was in her personal space.

"Relax," Meira took her hand, "You'll be fine! Now, let's get you a drink!"

Kazue, Nao and Mika all followed as Meira pulled Kaori through the crowd and to the bar.

"Well, well, well! Welcome home, ladies!" A handsome man with dyed blond locks looked at the five as they approached, his eyes landing on Kaori instantly, "Now, who might this be?"

Meira grinned, "She's a friend of mine! Her name is Kaori!"

The bartender extended his hand, which Kaori slowly took out of courtesy, "Nice to meet you, doll face! The name's Masumi and I would love to buy you a drink!"

Kaori blushed, "Sure... Uh, just a martini, please."

"Coming right up!" He looked back at the four standing around Kaori, "Regular order to start you lovely ladies off?"

They all nodded and Masumi got straight to work.

He was definitely no Kusanagi, but he did his best for show as he skillfully prepared each of their drinks. When he set all of their glasses out on the bar top, Kaori tentatively reached forward and took the slim part of glass and lifted it to her lips.

Again, Masumi was definitely no Kusanagi. The martini was good, but it was nothing compared to HOMRA's tactician.

Masumi leaned against the counter, his full attention on the beautiful brunette in front of him, "So, what brings a classy lady like yourself to a place like this?"

"It was her idea," Kaori pointed to Meira, who was engaged in a conversation with her friends, "Although, I'm enjoying the music playing in here."

"First time in a club?" He grinned when she gave him a somewhat shocked look, "I've been working in this place long enough to know who's a virgin and who's seasoned."

Kaori's eyes narrowed slightly, "What?"

"Don't worry about it," He chuckled, "So, do you got a man?"

"Yes," She said quickly, "Although, he'd die if he knew I was here."

Masumi frowned slightly, "He overbearing?"

"No, just protective," She finished her martini and set the glass down, "But he's a good man."

"I see," The bartender took the glass and began to clean it, "Want another, doll?"

She shook her head, "No thank you."

"Alright, just let me know," He winked.

Meira turned to Kaori and smiled, "Come on, we're going to head over to the dance floor!"

Kaori yelped as Meira took her hand and pulled her along with the others until they reached the middle of the floor. Kazue and Nao both began swaying to the pulsing beat of the high tempo song, grinning and laughing when two middle aged men male joined them in their provocative dancing. Mika also found herself a dance partner, moving in her own way against the male pressed against her back.

"Relax!" Meira grinned at Kaori, who stood stiffly in the middle of the crowd that was way too close for comfort, "Come on! Just start moving!"

Kaori slowly nodded and stiffly began to sway a little to the beat of the song, trying desperately to ignore the fact there were several males staring straight at her and Meira.

"I'm being stared at!" Kaori complained, "Can I just go back and talk to Masumi?!"

Meira shook her head, "No, you have to stay for at least one song!"

"Meira!" Kaori groaned, "You're killing me!"

The brunette grinned and shrugged her head, continuing to dance freely in front of Kaori.

"Hey, beautiful!" Kaori froze when a presence behind her closed in on her personal bubble to the point where she could feel his heat and the fanning of air on her cheek as he spoke, "Want to dance?"

Kaori turned around and looked up at him owl-eyed, "No thank you..."

"Oh, come on!" He grinned and grasped her hips in a snug grip, pulling her towards him so her bottom was pressed into his groin area, "What's one dance, huh, sweetie?"

Kaori felt a sick shudder run up her spine, feeling somewhat violated at the fact she was in such a close, intimate proximity to someone other than Mikoto. When she shot Meira a pleading look, she noticed that she was also preoccupied and frowned deeply.

"You're gorgeous, do you know that?" His arms wrapped around her mid-section and she could feel his chest pressing into her back, "I noticed you right as soon as you walked in here."

Kaori stood still and bit her bottom lip hard enough to pierce the skin, "Let go of me."

"Why should I do that?" He grinned and pressed a kiss to her exposed shoulder, "Why not come to the back with me and let me show you how a man should treat a woman like you?"

"My boyfriend wouldn't like that," Kaori blurted out, hoping that she wouldn't have to resort to violence.

He chuckled, "Oh? Where is your boyfriend?" When she paled, his grin widened, "Ah, so he's not here! Well then, what's a tiny secret between strangers?"

"I don't think you understand," Kaori looked back at the man, "He'll kill you."

She gasped when his hand reached up and grabbed her breast in a firm grip before he began kneading the perky, clothed mound. Trying to pull away from him as an immediate reaction, his arm still wrapped around her waist tightened and pulled her flush against his form.

"This is your final warning," Kaori gripped the wrist of the hand still on her breast, "Let me go or you're going to be in serious shit."

"Oh?" He nuzzled the side of her head and began to slip his other hand down towards the hem of her dress, "What's a pretty little thing like you going to do?"

Kaori bristled when she felt the tips of his fingers dancing around the front of her dress, much too close to the seam of her panties lying below the wine colored fabric.

"Come on," He began to pull her away from the crowd and spoke in a seductive, low voice, "I promise I'll be gentle."

Finding that the man was a lot more physically capable of man-handling her than she first thought, Kaori struggled against him as he pulled her towards a vacant restroom and began to panic as they slipped through the door.

"Let me go!" Kaori struggled hard against him.

He smirked and spun her around, slamming her up against the wall hard enough to knock the wind out of her and brushed her hair from her face, "Now why would I do that when I have a beautiful lady in front of me? Besides, none of these girls have ever given me an erection as fast as you have, so why would I pass up the opportunity to fuck you senseless? I'm hard as a rock and all ready to go."

Kaori glared at him, "You're a fool if you think you can touch me like that."

"I already am," He chuckled and reached a hand between her legs, feeling her stiffen considerably as his fingers brushed against her lacy under garment, "I never pegged you for a lacy girl, but I'll take it."

It was moments like these that Kaori wished Mikoto had bestowed his full power upon her, for she wanted nothing more than to fry the son of a bitch in front of her with the wrath of a thousand suns.

He leaned forward and inhaled her scent, his breath fanning against the flesh of her cheek as he pressed an open mouthed kiss to her jawline. Taking full advantage of the fact she couldn't defend herself, he brought her hands up above her head and wrapped one of hand around both of her wrists to secure her in place.

Kaori struggled against him again and closed her legs tightly, grimacing as he attempted to pry them apart with the hand he'd been undressing her with.

 _Of course, the first day I let someone bring me to a place like this, I get raped!_

She bit her bottom lip harshly again and closed her eyes tightly, inhaling sharply when he successfully parted her tights and pressed his knee between her legs to keep them open.

"Don't be like that, sweetie," He cooed in her ear, "Just relax and have some fun with me."

Kaori sneered at him, "Go to hell."

He was about to make a mocking response to her when the door to the bathroom opened, revealing a furious looking Mikoto, an equally upset Kusanagi and Tatara with several of the others behind the three. Kaori could even see Meira, who had Kamamoto's white HOMRA sweater placed on her shoulders.

The girl looked absolutely dreadful and had so much guilt in her eyes that Kaori had to look away.

"And who might you be?" The man looked over at them with a cocky expression, "Can't you see we're a little busy at the moment?"

Mikoto stepped in and stared at the man, not uttering a word as he crossed the distance and ripped the man away from Kaori's as she crumpled to the floor in a heap. Kusanagi quickly rushed over, followed by Tatara and helped their King's lover to her feet.

"Are you alright?" Kusanagi asked, looking down at Kaori with concern all over his face.

She nodded slowly, "He didn't get far enough to do any damage, so I'm alright," She gripped his shirt and looked over to Mikoto, "He was going to rape me..."

"It's okay now," Tatara smiled softly at her.

Kaori looked from Tatara to Kusanagi, "How did you guys know I was here?"

"Meira called us when you'd disappeared from her sight," Kusanagi explained, "We were already in the neighborhood when Rikio got the call, so we rushed in here as fast we could. The man at the door has seen better days, but we tried to reason with him. Mikoto beat the shit out of three other guys who tried to stop him."

Kaori frowned and looked over to her lover, who had already slammed the man who touched her through one of the stalls and had created a small concave in the tiled wall off to the side from the impact of the man's head.

"Kaori," Meira rushed over and hugged her, "I'm so sorry! I didn't think this would happen!"

Kaori looked at her and frowned as the tears continued to spill down her face, "It's okay. They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

"No," She sniffled, "I found one of my friends from school and he stayed with me until Rikio and the others showed up."

"Good," Kaori smiled small.

"Let me go you fucking psycho!" The man's voice drew all their attention towards him.

Mikoto stared down at him as he gripped the man's head tightly in his hand, "You violated my woman and you want me to let you go?" His amber orbs narrowed dangerously, "People like you don't deserve such luxuries."

Kusanagi's hand flew up to shield Kaori's eyes as Mikoto set the man on fire and proceeded to completely obliterate him, the elder man not wanting her to watch the Red King take a life right in front of her. Kamamoto quickly did the same for Meira, having pulled her to his chest to hide her from his leader's brutality.

As quickly as the screaming began it diminished, leaving nothing but the sound of footsteps resonating in the small bathroom area.

Kusanagi removed his hand and released his hold on Kaori as Mikoto approached her, "We'll meet you at the van, boss."

Mikoto nodded and watched as Kusanagi ushered everyone out of the bathroom to allow the two some privacy, exchanging a brief glance with Tatara before the door closed.

"Mikoto," Kaori looked up at him in such a way that he almost felt the fear still fresh in her veins, "He..."

The Red King pulled her into his arms and held her close as she sobbed, feeling a pang in his chest at the fact he hadn't been there to prevent this from happening, "Shh, it's all over now."

True, Mikoto had been livid when he found out that Meira had taken Kaori and planned on going into a club without protection, but Kusanagi had scolded him and told him that the girls needed some time to themselves. He hadn't been thrilled with the idea of sitting back while things could have happened, even more so when they'd received that phone call.

"Let's get back to the bar," Mikoto leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of her head, "I'll run you a hot bath and get Kusanagi to make you that tea you like so much."

Kaori nodded slowly and looked up at him, "Mikoto, he..."

"No more about him," Mikoto leaned down and kissed her, "He's gone now."

Pulling away from her for a moment, Mikoto shrugged his black jacket off and placed it over her shoulders. They quickly made their way out of the bathroom as he hastily led the way out of the bar to where his clansmen were parked.

. . .

"How's she doing?" Tatara asked as Mikoto walked down the steps into the main bar area.

Mikoto thanked Kusanagi for the tea he'd prepared for Kaori and looked at Tatara, "She's still pretty shaken up."

"I'm so sorry," They all looked over to the petite girl sitting with Kamamoto, "This is all my fault."

Mikoto looked at her, "It was a mistake but you're not responsible for it."

Tatara nodded and offered her a smile, "You're both safe and sound now, so don't worry about it."

"She's not leaving my sight again, I hope you realize that," Mikoto shot a pointed look to Kusanagi before walking back upstairs, leaving the bartender to sigh at his words and run his fingers through his dirty blond locks.

When Mikoto got to their bedroom, he closed the door behind him and walked to the bathroom to go and deliver Kaori's tea to her. He found her still leaning against the back of the tub staring off into space, not in the least bit disturbed by his entrance or when he sat down beside the porcelain basin.

"Kaori?" He reached over and gently brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers, "Baby?"

She finally looked at him but lacked the normal irritation at that endearment, "Yeah?"

"Just checking to see if you were still with me," He leaned against the side of the tub and watched her.

Kaori nodded slowly and placed a hand over his own, "I'll be fine."

"I know," He rubbed the pad of his thumb over the apple of her cheek, "I'm just worried about you."

She frowned, "I'm sorry that I went out today without telling you."

"Don't go there," He sighed and closed his eyes, "It's partially my fault because I keep you sheltered here more than I should, so when shit like this happens I lose my temper."

Kaori ran her fingers over the top of his hand, "Meira didn't mean any harm, so please don't be mad at her."

"I'm not. I'm actually glad she called Rikio when she did," He suddenly got very serious, "I would have lost it had I of walked in on him violating you further than he did."

She nodded slowly and leaned towards him, "I know."

"I think it's time you officially join HOMRA," He sighed, "I was hoping to avoid this, but it can't be helped."

Kaori looked at him, "You already branded me with your clan's insignia but you held back when you gifted me."

"I was an idiot when I didn't gift you the full power," Mikoto cursed under his breath and ran his fingers through his hair, "But I won't be making that mistake a second time."

Taking Kaori's hand in his own, she watched it ignite into a beautiful, vibrant, red flame.

She felt the familiar warmth invade her body as she closed her eyes, enjoying the pleasure that seared through her veins at the touch of his magnificent aura. She felt it wrap itself around the temporary guise that had already run its course and sighed deeply in contentment when it filled the void and locked itself into place.

"There," He breathed out, having thoroughly enjoyed watching his lover become engulfed in the familiar red that suited her all too well, "Now everything is perfect. You can help me fry the next son of a bitch who braves trying to lay a hand on you."

Kaori opened her eyes and looked him, "Thank you," She pulled her hand from his own and touched his face.

"You're not leaving my sight for a good, long while so I hope you realize that and understand why."

"Don't worry," She sighed, "I don't plan on it anytime soon."

* * *

 **Well, kind of an intense, more angst filled chapter rather than the normal, up beat ones. :)**

 **Next up is when our darling Anna joins the party, and I've been doing A LOT of reading through the novel where Anna is introduced to HOMRA to prepare for this moment. Although I have a good idea as to how I'm going to go about this update, I'm not going to follow what happens to a T.**

 **EDIT; Thank you for that Halloween Witch! It has been changed! :D**

 **I love y'all so very much and I hope to see you guys in the next chapter! ;)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	8. CH VIII

**So, I know I'm a bad writer. I should have typed something out a long time ago, but I've been so busy with school and other things that I haven't really had time to do anything! Bah! Bad writer! Bad writer! -slaps hand-**

 **In other news, I get to do my exams hella early compared to everyone else because I'm a beast and shot like... six units ahead of all the others. LOOL -flexes arms-**

 **Guest - Unfortunately no, Kaori doesn't get pregnant in this miniseries as this is a sequence of events leading up to when all of my other lovely OC's meet the boys! If you read 'Series of Fortunate Events' or 'Breaking Point', she's pregnant/has babies then. ;)**

 **MissAnimeMiss - It's all good, lovie! :D I'm glad you enjoy seeing the angry, possessive, "Imma fuck yo shit UP" Mikoto when it comes to his lovely lady, as I really do enjoy writing him like that. Hope you enjoy this new chapter ;)**

 **lokithehotty - Thank you for the review and I'm glad you like Kaori and Mikoto together~ ;D  
**

 **Like I said earlier in the previous chapter, I did a lot of reading for this moment but will not be copying the K: Side Red novel to a T. I'm going to be using it as a base and in-cooperating my own ideas into it. Also, you may find that I skip a lot in this but it's because I don't want to just "copy and paste" things from the novel into this story. :)  
**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH VIII**

 **Anna Kushina; The New Arrival - Part I (of III)  
**

* * *

"I just want to thank you again for always being so hospitable to me when I come to your bar, Izumo," Honami Kushina said with a smile, giving both Tatara and Mikoto a calm smile as the older of the two narrowed his eyes at her sudden appearance.

Kusanagi grinned, "Not to worry. I'm just glad that you remember us as good people rather than the students who tried to peak at you all those years ago."

Honami giggled, "I would have reason to be upset, wouldn't?" She looked over to Mikoto, "Rumor has it that you finally settled down with someone?"

"I'm not married if that's what you're asking," Mikoto muttered and sipped at his scotch, still unimpressed that the woman beside him was allowed in the bar, "She might as well be my wife, though."

"How sweet," Honami grinned.

Kusanagi looked over to the small child sitting off to the side and motioned over to her, "So, what's her story?"

Honami looked back and smiled sadly, "She's my niece. Ever since her parents died, I've been taking care of her."

"I see," Kusanagi smiled, "What's her name?"

"Anna."

"Don't tell Kaori, or else she may try to steal her," Mikoto mused, knowing Kaori always had a soft spot for young children.

Honami looked at Mikoto, "I'm worried about her," She sipped at her tea and sighed, "Anna hardly eats and she doesn't talk very much. She's been... Distant."

"She lost her mother and father, miss Honami," Kusanagi looked at her, "That's bound to cause some sort of problem."

She nodded, "I know, but I just wish she'd open up. A girl as young as her shouldn't have to learn how to bottle up emotions. I suppose that's what they're trying to figure out at the hospital."

"Hospital?" Kusanagi's brow rose, "What for?"

"They say something's wrong with her. The doctor says it's a serious illness that affects her brain, so she's on a day of temporary leave from the hospital to get some fresh air but will have to go back for closer examination."

Mikoto's eyes narrowed while Kusanagi nodded.

Meanwhile, Tatara made his way over towards the silent girl dressed in a deep blue Lolita dress and smiled as she looked up at him, "Hi there. My name is Tatara."

Anna nodded slowly and looked down at her marbles, so Tatara decided to kneel down beside her and see if using the red balls in her hand would strike a conversation. He also recalled the extreme interest Anna showed earlier when she caught sight of Mikoto and wouldn't avert her gaze, but he pocketed that for another conversation.

"Those a very pretty," Tatara smiled, "Are they special to you?"

Anna looked up at him and nodded slowly, closing her hand around them to hold them close, "They are..."

The young, doll-like child slowly opened her hand and looked down at the marbles while Tatara stood up. He took that as a sign that there was nothing more the child wished to say and smiled small, leaving her to her devices. She continued to play by herself when suddenly the door to the bar opened, and her eyes were met with a beautiful woman with long dark hair and warm, friendly eyes.

"Alright Izumo, I think I've finally mastered the art of reading your scribbled instructions," Kaori grinned, leading Fushimi inside with the items the bartender had asked her to acquire.

Honami looked at her and immediately recognized her, blinking several times in disbelief when she saw the girl walk over to Mikoto and plant a tender kiss to the side of his head without any disregard.

"Many thanks as always," Kusanagi smiled at the girl, "By the way, you remember miss Honami Kushina, don't you?"

Kaori turned to look at the woman and smiled, "It's nice to see you again."

"Yes, likewise!" Honami grinned, "Nice to see someone has been taming that wild Suoh, as well."

Kaori puffed her chest out and grinned proudly, "Well, I've tried my best."

Kusanagi and Honami laughed while Mikoto muttered something under his breath, sneakily reaching up to pinch Kaori's side to earn a surprised squeal.

From her spot on the floor, Anna watched the exchange and kept her eyes on both Kaori and Mikoto. She observed them in silence and immediately felt a wave of sadness wash over her, noticing how similar the beautiful woman talking to her aunt was to her mother. In her tone of voice and the mannerisms she displayed, it reminded Anna of a time when her mother would talk fluidly to Honami and giggle along with what the woman would say.

She averted her eyes immediately.

 **\- x -**

Curiosity finally got the best of him, and so Tatara reached out to prod at one of the scattered marbles Anna had splayed in front of her. He watched the tiny girl stiffen briefly before slowly gazing up at him, her eyes distant and her face impassive.

"What are you up to, Anna?" Tatara asked, satisfied with his sudden way of gaining her attention despite the fact he'd disturbed her.

Anna took a moment to reply, knowing there was another set of eyes on her, "I was... Looking."

"Oh? At what?" He asked her, genuinely curious as to what she meant.

She fell silent for another moment before looking down at her marbles, so Tatara began spilling his thoughts aloud to the girl to either confirm or disapprove.

"Anna," Her body twitched at his voice, "Can you... _See_ things not everyone can see?"

She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his and nodded ever so slightly.

Tatara smiled, "Do you use these marbles to see things?"

Another sharp, tiny nod.

"Wow," He grinned, "That's impressive. Tell me, what do you see when you look at me?"

Anna hesitated for a moment before reaching down to pluck one of the red marbles off the floor, slowly bringing it so that it was positioned in front of her left eye. There was a moment where Tatara stared, almost confused at her actions, when their gazes met through the marble.

Even his insides froze at the way this girl was looking at him, as if seeing straight through him. He suppressed a shudder with all of his might, enduring the moment until a surprised jolt broke the contact and Anna dropped the marble.

They both watched the red sphere roll away on the floor in silence until Tatara looked at her worriedly, "Anna?"

She almost flinched when she looked up at him, her brows furrowing as if she were contemplating telling him what she'd seen, "... It's nothing."

Tatara nodded slowly. When he heard footsteps coming from behind him, he turned to see Kaori standing there with her eyes on Anna.

"Why hello there," Kaori smiled softly, earning a small nod of acknowledgement from Anna, "You must be Anna."

Anna stared at the brunette as she kneeled down to her height, her eyes flickering to a glass jar that she held in her hands. Inside the clear jar was round pieces of what Anna suspected to be candy.

Pulling the lid off the jar, Kaori held it out to Anna with a smile, "Honami said that you may not accept any food that we offer, but it wouldn't sit right with me if you didn't eat something before you left."

Crimson eyes stared at the jar before they locked onto warm, chocolate eyes. Anna's brows knit together and slowly, she reached out for the strawberry candy near the top.

It would be later discovered that red was the only color Anna could clearly see.

"Thank you..." Anna said in a low voice, holding the red candy in between her fingers before tentatively putting it into her mouth.

Kaori watched with a smile and set the jar aside, "So, I hear that Yata and Rikio will be taking you and Honami for a little tour around town," Her eyes flickered to Tatara before she returned her gaze to Anna, "Is there anywhere in particular I should request my boys to take you?"

Anna gave her a somewhat confused expression before shaking her head.

With a nod, Kaori smiled and reluctantly stood up. If she was going to talk to the beautiful child, she would have to devise a new strategy in order to coax her into conversation. Perhaps she would request that Honami ask for her to be on her visitation in the hospital? Kaori wondered if Mikoto would be alright with that.

Honami looked at Kaori as she approached and smiled.

. . .

"She's very nice, isn't she?" Tatara looked down at Anna with a smile, "All of the boys here call her 'mum'."

Anna watched Kaori closely, feeling Tatara's eyes on her while she brought a marble to her left eye, much like she did to him moments ago. She sat still for what seemed like forever until she slowly lowered the red sphere to the floor.

"What did you see?" He asked with a curious expression.

The doll-like girl continued to stare at Kaori for a moment before her eyes shifted to the red-haired male still sitting at the counter.

She watched the way he would look at Kaori with a softer look in his amber eyes, "That man," Tatara almost missed her words as she spoke so softly, "He's so dangerous, but you all stay so close to him."

"He's our King and has brought us all together," Tatara smiled down at her, "What did you see when you looked over to them?"

Anna looked up at him, "It's not what I saw..." Her brows furrowed, "It's what I felt..."

"Oh?" Tatara tilted his head, "Was it a good feeling?"

She never answered him.

"Anna!" Honami walked over with a small smile, "A couple of the boys are going to take us for a little walk around town, so please pick up all of the marbles off the floor and get ready."

Tatara watched as Anna did as she was told and slowly collected all of the red spheres before standing up and dusting her frilly blue dress off. Honami then reached down to take Anna's hand and led her to the door where both Kamamoto and Yata waited with their luggage in-hand.

"Thanks again for this," Tatara heard Honami say to the two before they exited the bar.

Once the door was closed, Tatara walked over to the counter and looked at Kaori, "You didn't want to go with them?"

"No," Kaori shook her head, "I wanted to talk to you guys about that girl."

Mikoto eyed his lover while Kusanagi leaned against the bar on folded arms, "She's strange, isn't she?"

Tatara frowned, "I don't think she's strange, rather... I think she's different from you and I."

"Oh?" Kusanagi's brow rose, "What do you mean?"

Kaori seemed to follow Tatara's train of thought and wasn't surprised when he revealed his thoughts, "I think that girl is a strain."

Mikoto's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Tatara as the young male continued to speak.

"Think about it," Tatara began, "When she arrived, she stared at Mikoto, right? When Honami revealed that Anna was color blind and could only distinguish red, perhaps she was physically _seeing_ King's red aura."

Kusanagi took his words into consideration and heaved in a heavy breath, "Such a young girl to be a strain, don't you think?"

"He's right, Izumo," Kaori looked at the bartender, "And those marbles; maybe that's how she uses her power?"

Tatara nodded, "She wasn't just playing with them like an ordinary child would."

"Did she actually tell you this?" Kusanagi's brow rose.

Tatara frowned, "Well, that's something I wish to keep between her and myself."

"Honami said the hospital was in District Seven, right?" Kaori frowned, "Isn't that the Gold King's territory?"

Kusanagi nodded and sighed, "That could be problematic for us to keep an eye on this girl. If you both are right, then maybe that hospital isn't a hospital at all, but a facility where his clansmen study strains and their abilities?"

"That's a very good possibility," Tatara agreed.

Mikoto, having listened to everything the three had to say, finally sat up and sighed, "Keep an eye on that kid."

 **\- x -**

Later on that evening after returning from their escort duty, Kamamoto and Yata were sent out again after being tasked with watching Honami's residence for suspicious behavior. It was after midnight that Kusanagi received a worried phone call from the young vanguard explaining what happened with Anna trying to run away and the Blue's showing up, and urged the two of them to stay put until morning. Sure enough, when Kusanagi and Tatara made their way to the building, Honami was shocked at the bartender's proposition. It bothered Kusanagi at first, but he shoved those thoughts aside and just repeated to himself that it was for their own protection rather than thinking of all of the inappropriate boundaries he was currently crossing.

"I have a room on the top level of my bar that you and Anna are welcome to," Kusanagi smiled, "Kaori has her own apartment so I'm sure Mikoto wouldn't be against staying with her for a few days. That way, you know Anna is safe and can rest easier at night."

Honami frowned, "Izumo," She looked down at Anna.

"Don't worry," He smiled, "Tatara and Kaori will be there and can even help Anna with her schooling. I'm sure Kaori would be more than happy to spend some time with her."

The elder woman nodded slowly and sighed, "Alright, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stay for a while."

Kusanagi smiled, "Great. We'll help you with your things."

. . .

"I still can't see why I'm being forced out of the bar for the duration of their stay," Mikoto muttered in annoyance as Kusanagi ushered him to hurry up and pack clothing into a bag for his visit to Kaori's, "When I said to keep an eye on the kid, I didn't mean it that literally."

"It's safer for them to be in our territory, Mikoto," Kusanagi reasoned, "It's only until Anna's leave from the hospital is over and then things can go back to normal. Besides, since when do you complain about spending the night at Kaori's?"

Mikoto frowned, "I'm not complaining about staying at her place, it's more so this situation that's absurd."

"Oh, Mikoto," Kusanagi sighed and shook his head, "It's not permanent, so just relax and it'll all be over soon."

"Kaori wants to offer to Honami that she take over legal custody of Anna," Mikoto suddenly said, "Said if the girl really is a strain that she'd feel safer knowing that the kid was with people who knew how to control her and help her hone her ability."

"The research I did on that place is exactly that; a place where strains are taught how to control their powers and be integrated back into human population without being a danger to themselves or others around them," Kusanagi looked at Mikoto, "What do you think of that?"

The Red King shrugged, "It's not really my decision."

"Oh, I see," Kusanagi grinned, "Letting your woman call the shots now?"

Mikoto glared slightly, "No," Zipping the duffle bag he'd been packing shut, he perched his hands on either side of his hips and let his head and shoulders loll back to receive a rewarding crack of his bones, "She was saying how boring it can be sometimes when nothing is happening, so at least she'd have someone to look after other than us for a change. You should know better than anyone that Kaori wants kids eventually."

"That I do," Kusanagi crossed his arms over his chest and smiled, "Well, when you put it that way, I could always extend the offer to Honami before Anna heads back to District Seven?"

"I leave that decision up to you," Mikoto reached down to grab the strap of the bag and slung it over his shoulder before walking to the door, "While she's here, don't let her out of your sight."

Kusanagi blinked, "You won't be coming to the bar at all while they're here?"

A mischievous look in Mikoto's eyes told Kusanagi all he needed to know.

. . .

Later the next day, Mikoto had returned to the bar and found it mostly empty, save for Kusanagi and their little guest dressed in blue. He'd eventually found his spot one one of the stools and was served his usual glass of a dark, alcoholic mixture the bartender had perfected over the years along with a glass of water. He'd begun to enjoy said beverage when he'd felt eyes on him, immediately noting that it was the strain who was staring at him.

Finally, after several minutes of his body tensing under the little girl's stare, Mikoto cleared his throat to catch an amused Kusanagi's attention.

"Aren't you fortunate to have such a pretty, young lady paying attention to you," Kusanagi teased, "It's not everyday I see you get so riled up by something like this."

Mikoto shot his closest friend a hard glare and continued to sip at his drink, using the entirety of his willpower to ignore the small child huddled around the corner of the bar trying her hardest to peek around at him without being noticed. After a few moments of silence, he'd faintly heard a shuffling sound and from the corner of his eye, noticed she'd moved herself behind the farthest stool away from him.

Kusanagi, still thoroughly enjoying the fact his best friend was so openly annoyed at such a small, trivial matter grinned, "It's too bad Kaori had to steal Tatara away today, isn't it?"

"Where are the others?"

"Tatara sent them out with a list of things they needed to get for this evening," Kusanagi sat down a freshly washed glass into the line he'd started before looking at Mikoto, noticing he was looking down at something.

Kusanagi watched as Mikoto reached down and picked up one of Anna's marbles, staring straight at it with an unusually curious expression. When the King lifted it to ook into it much like Anna had done many times before, the bartender felt his whole body still at the exchange.

There was a moment, if not even a second that passed, where time stood still.

Remembering that Tatara had mentioned earlier on about having his suspicions on Anna being a clairvoyant, Kusanagi paid close attention and almost _felt_ the instant connection between the young strain and his King.

Anna stared up at the man through the marble and suddenly convulsed, her body twisting and falling to the side.

"Eh?!" Kusanagi rushed to get around the counter and stood beside Mikoto, who had caught the young girl with his arm and frowned, "What in the hell just happened?"

Mikoto said nothing as he lifted the child and walked towards the stairs.

Kusanagi followed him and watched as he laid Anna down on the bed before pulling the covers over her, "So, mind telling me what happened?"

Mikoto sighed and ran his fingers through his fiery locks as he crossed the room and dropped down on the sofa, "She's obviously quite sensitive and during that exchange, I think she connected with me without meaning to."

"Well, Tatara and Kaori did hypothesize that those marbles were her way of utilizing her power," Kusanagi looked at Anna, "Should we take her to the hospital?"

The Red King never answered him as he mulled in his own thoughts. What confused him the most was the fact that a simple, ordinary, red marble had seemingly caused this problem.

It would seem things were about to get interesting in HOMRA, especially when the little strain finally woke up.

 **\- x -**

"Coast is clear," Kamamoto whispered while his fellow clansmen rummaged through one of the many offices of the Nanakamado Scientific Research Center, "Just hurry up, though."

Fushimi sat himself down on one of the chairs and immediately began typing on the keyboard connected to one of the computers while Tatara continued to search for written evidence on their new guest. Yata however, hovered over Fushimi's shoulder and watched as his closest friend easily hacked into the facility's system.

When the four had first arrived they noted how easily the main building could have passed off as a regular hospital, even more so when they'd spotted civilians mulling around and walking in and out of the main doors. Off to the side was an extension where Tatara had assumed was used as a medical treatment center for anyone who was in need of tending to. Eventually the group had made their way to the research section of the building, where the normally "useless" Tatara had utilized his powers to gain access to the restricted section and where they needed to go.

"Interesting," Fushimi muttered softly, his eyes quickly scanning over Anna's profile on the screen, "Either they discovered something dangerous about that girl, or they labeled her incorrectly so they could detain her longer."

Yata frowned, "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means they obviously don't know what she's capable of you idiot," Fushimi glared back at him, earning a scoff from his russet partner.

. . .

"Wow," Tatara breathed out, "This place is actually rather beautiful."

When the four had knocked out what they assumed to be a doctor, they slipped passed a few more doors and found themselves in the middle of the containment area where many people walked around seemingly enjoying their day. To Fushimi, it looked as though they were standing in the middle of a school.

"I'm assuming this place is where they allow the strains with minimal powers roam around," Fushimi whispered, "They must keep the stronger, more dangerous ones separated from everyone else."

Tatara nodded in agreement, "With that being said, we'd need to find that testing floor, wouldn't we?"

"Yes, but how do we do that without looking even more suspicious than we already are?"

"Hey, I haven't seen you guys around. Are you all new here?"

Yata grinned, having turned around with the cheeriest smile he could muster.

Without knowing, the curious boy of seventeen or eighteen had become the answer to all of their questions.

. . .

"So, she just passed out?" Kaori frowned and looked down at Anna after Kusanagi explained to her what had happened, "And all Mikoto did was look at her through the marble?"

Kusanagi nodded, "It was just like you and Tatara said."

"Poor thing," Kaori leaned down and gently brushed some hair away from Anna's eyes, "If she really has connected to Mikoto, I can't imagine the shock her system must be going through to have connected with a King of all people. His power alone would probably be too much all at once for her."

He nodded in agreement, casting a glance over to a sleeping Mikoto who was stretched out on the sofa, "He hasn't moved from that spot since he brought her up here."

Kaori smiled, "He probably feels bad about what happened. Deep down, I'm sure he's worried about her but he just won't admit it."

With a soft chuckle, Kusanagi nodded in agreement and gently took Kaori by the hand to lead her out of the room.

Unbeknownst to the two, Mikoto had a replay of the reoccurring dream he'd told Kaori about once before where he stood in the middle of a destroyed Shizume City, much like the Kagutsu Crater catastrophe. It was then in his daze that he realized he was no longer alone and knew the child was there with him, instantly freezing when her voice saying his name echoed through his mind like ripples through water.

When the two woke up, he reluctantly explained to her the things she'd seen and what it all meant knowing there was no use in lying to her.

"So... That will happen to you as well?" Anna questioned, her brows knitting together as if she were trying to answer the question on her own.

Mikoto shrugged, "I don't know. Probably one day, but not anytime soon."

"Why is that?"

He almost laughed at her question but turned to her and answered her honestly, "I would be lying if I said the thought never crossed my mind to use up all of my power and force my Sword of Damocles to come crashing down, but it's different now. I have Kaori to protect and knowing her the way I do, she'd kick my ass from here across the world if I ever tried to over-extend myself."

"She's your lover?" Anna asked.

Mikoto nodded, "Mm. Like Izumo and Tatara, she's also a part of this clan."

Observing the child after he'd relayed all of those details to her, he couldn't help but notice the color had returned to her once pale cheeks and that her eyes, still fairly void of emotion, finally had something swirling deep inside of them.

"You're going to be a troublesome kid, aren't you?"

Anna never answered his question. She remained silent for another moment before finally speaking.

"Mikoto," She paused for a moment, " _is pretty_."

* * *

 **Just putting this out there that I'm most likely going to divide this into three parts, seeing as how there's a lot to go through in the novel but as I'm sure you're aware, I'll be shaving some part out to save on time and such. I don't want to go through EVERYTHING that happens, but I will definitely show the connection between HOMRA's darling princess and out lovely OC and Red King. :)**

 **So far every second day the last week or so has been a snow day at school but I've been so swamped with homework to do anything that I was lucky to get this out, so bare with me as I'm on a tight deadline for the university I want to go to and will be focusing on that for the most part! :)**

 **As always, I love you all so very much and will see you all again in the next thing I write! ;D**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	9. CH IX

**Hello all! I want to apologize for the small hiatus, but blame school. I've been drowning in work because instead of my exams being in June, so I've been doing all of my finals but now I'm only down to one – which means more updatesss~ :)**

 **Speaking of finals... I got my exam mark today for writing and got a 98 FUCKING PERCENT. WOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTT~ So to celebrate, this chapter is dedicated to ALL of you! :D**

 **MissAnimeMiss – Haha, yes~ I LIVEEEEEEEEE (insert Mushu rising from the smoke in Mulan)! I'm really looking forward to writing out the next half of Anna's chapter and so happy that you like that I've decided to incorporate a little of the novel into my series! As far as school goes, I only have one exam left so that now leaves me plenty of time for regular updates again! Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

 **Mrs.1DJessup – Sorry for making you wait so long, darling! Glad you're enjoying little baby Anna, but who wouldn't?! She's too precious for words! :D**

 **Halloween Witch – So glad you love Anna just as much as I do! I'm going to have fun writing the next two pieces for her! Hope you enjoy this little filler chapter~ ^^**

 **Vanesabebe1 – Ahhhh, welcome new reviewer! Here you go, darling~! :D**

 **This is just a little exert and "special/filler" chapter until I can get enough time to write up the second half of our little Anna's installment. :)**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH IX**

 **On His Own – Mikoto's Week Without Kaori**

* * *

It was an uncharacteristically sunny morning when Mikoto managed to drag himself up and out of bed after laying on his side with his back to the window, desperate to try and have a few more hours of sleep. He found that he couldn't relax ever since Kaori had left on vacation with her pompous, arrogant mother and sister to go to Europe to visit their relatives. It hadn't been expected when she'd received that call, but she chose to go with them just to goat about how amazing Mikoto was to her grandparents before her mother got to them.

"Well, well, well," Kusanagi grinned, watching Mikoto slowly walk into the main bar area before taking a seat on one of the plush stools, "Finally decided to get out of bed?"

Mikoto grunted in response, "I couldn't sleep last night."

"Miss her that much? She's only been gone for two days and you still have almost a whole week to go," Kusanagi teased, earning a glare from his King, "Sorry, I can't help it. You just seem so bothered now that she's gone. Even Tatara's noticed a change in your behavior."

"I don't need my woman to function," Mikoto continued to glare at Kusanagi's implication, even after a drink was set in front of him and his oldest friend held his hands up in peace, "I just don't particularly enjoy the fact that she's with the Antichrist out of the country for a whole week. Who's to say that Kaori's fucking bitch of a mother won't leave her there."

Kusanagi sighed, "I suppose if that happens, we'll be making a trip to Europe to go and get her?"

"You're fucking right we will, and then when we get back I'm going after her mother," Mikoto picked up the glass and took a drawn out sip, "You've only encountered her once so you don't understand how truly sadistic this woman can be."

With a chuckle, Kusanagi gave his head a shake before continuing to polish some of his glasses. He knew it was better to just avoid talking to Mikoto when he went off on a tangent about Kaori's mother, so instead, he busied himself and hoped his fiery companion would eventually calm himself down.

"Yo, Kusanagi!" Yata's voice boomed loudly as he entered the bar, "Rikio and I went and got everything you asked for! Your mail is here, too."

Kusanagi looked over at the two as they approached, "You both move fast," He chuckled and thanked them when they discarded all of the items that he'd asked for onto the counter, "Is the mail important?"

"It's from Kaori," Yata held it out to Kusanagi, who directed him to a narrow-eyed Mikoto, "We didn't touch it other than to bring it here."

Mikoto accepted the sealed letter from Yata before opening it, "She better not have— ..."

Kusanagi's brow rose, "Something wrong?"

"... For fuck sakes," Mikoto ground out, slamming the letter onto the counter before getting up and quickly scaling the stairs.

Both Yata and Kamamoto looked at one another before looking at Kusanagi, who reached over to pick up the letter, "I hope it's nothing bad," Once he flipped it over, his eyes widened and he instantly dropped the paper face-down.

"Kusanagi?" Kamamoto watched him while Yata eyed the letter suspiciously.

Kusanagi suddenly broke out into a grin, "She's going to kill me when she finds out that I've seen this..."

"Eh?" Both Kamamoto and Yata waited before they both went wide eyed and flushed in the face due to Kusanagi's expression.

"Mikoto must have gone to ease some tension," Kusanagi chuckled and quickly slipped the picture back into the envelop, "We shouldn't tease him about this, seeing as how he doesn't do well when Kaori's not around to help him _relax_."

Kamamoto nodded while Yata blinked, "Help him with what?"

"Sex, Yata," Kusanagi grinned teasingly, causing the boy to blush furiously.

"What's that?" Tatara asked as he walked out of the kitchen and reached for the letter, only to have Kusanagi pull it away from him, "Izumo?"

"It's for Mikoto's eyes only, trust me," Kusanagi chuckled, "I accidentally looked at it."

Tatara chuckle and smiled, "Is she beautiful?"

"Very, although I've seen too much of her for my taste. Almost feels like I've just seen a naughty picture of my little sister, but I'm sure she'd forgive my curiosity if she knew that I was just making sure it was for Mikoto's own good," Kusanagi grinned.

 **\- x -**

"You know, holding up in your room until she gets back is cause for worry. One might say that you're showing signs of depression," Kusanagi teased, watching Mikoto saunter down the stairs like he usually did around the same time every day.

Mikoto glared at Kusanagi before heading for the door, "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later."

"Alright. Stay out of trouble!" Kusanagi chuckled and waved, not missing the obscene gesture given to him as the King exited the bar.

"Where's Mikoto going?" Yata asked with curiosity as he walked up beside Fushimi, who was sitting at the bar finishing his drink.

Kusanagi looked at him and smiled, "He likes to get out in the morning to clear his head, although he hasn't done a lot of walking on his own in quite some time. He usually takes Kaori with him, or he'll go in the middle of the night when he can't sleep."

"Oh, okay," The russet boy nodded slowly, "So, is there anything you need me for today? If not, I think I'm going to visit my mother and siblings."

The bartender smiled, "You've been helping me a lot around the bar and never ask for time off, so go on and take the day. I'm sure they'll enjoy seeing you."

"Thanks!" Yata grinned and pushed off the stool he'd been leaning on, "I'll be back for the supper rush!"

Kusanagi waved him off as he watched the young vanguard dash out of the bar before turning to look at Fushimi, "So, I guess it's just you and me today."

"Looks like it," Fushimi said slowly, "You wanted to talk to me alone, so now's your chance."

Kusanagi regarded him seriously for a moment before picking up a glass to polish, "Well Saruhiko, I want to train you to help me here," When Fushimi shot him a suspicious, narrow-eyed look the bartender smiled, "You don't enjoy going on patrol, so I figured this way you'd keep busy and earn your keep at the same time. Plus, I could use the company and I'm sure Tatara would be ecstatic to have someone to teach in the kitchen."

Fushimi eyed him for a moment before looking down at the glass, "I guess it couldn't hurt."

"Good, we'll start tomorrow," Kusanagi grinned.

After Fushimi went off to busy himself, Kusanagi continued with his usual routine well into the early afternoon, when a familiar ring caught his attention, "I wonder who's calling?" With a raised brow, he pulled his phone from his pocket and looked to see that the call was an unknown number, "Hello?"

 _"Why, hello my darling second boyfriend~ It's nice to see at least one of you has your phone nearby. How's it going?"_ Kaori's chipper voice echoed into his ear.

With a wide grin, Kusanagi chuckled turned around to lean against the counter, "Not bad, although I think Mikoto is pretty lost without you around. He just up and left to go for a walk earlier and hasn't been back since."

 _"Poor fella. Did he get the letter I sent?"_

"About that..." Kusanagi grinned, trailing off to distract Kaori before she heard what he had to say.

 _"If the others saw that picture I sent him, I'm going to beat the shit out of every one of you,"_ Kaori warned.

"Oh, no one else saw it but Mikoto," He paused long enough to snatch a cigarette from his breast pocket and place it between his lips to light, "and me."

There was silence for a moment before he heard a heavy sigh, _"Well, I guess that's better than hearing that Yata or Saruhiko saw it. Or worse, that pervert Chitose."_

"Come on now, it was a beautiful picture. Almost makes me envious that Mikoto gets you all to himself," Kusanagi laughed and grinned teasingly, "But don't worry, it's safe and sound in your room. Pretty sure he sleeps with it by his pillow," He heard her snort from the other in response to his exaggerated statement and exhaled the smoke he'd drawn in, "How are things going over there?"

 _"Well, family is family so there's not much else to say about that. My grandfather is pretty interested to know more about Mikoto, but my lovely mother has my grandmother convinced that I'm dating the spawn of Satan."_

"Sounds about right," Kusanagi chuckled, "Are you at least enjoying yourself?"

 _"Yeah, I am. These relatives we're with are the only nice ones in the family. I wish you could all meet my grandfather because he's an absolute hoot. The man has jokes and naughty stories for days that would make even Saruhiko crack a smile. He's even scatter brained like Tatara, so you know he's entertaining."_

Kusanagi smiled, "Here's hoping we can. We'll have to plan a trip to Europe once things settle down and you two finally get married."

 _"Oh, Mikoto and I will be just boyfriend and girlfriend for forever, so don't hold your breath."_

"That's not true," He smirked, "All it'll take is a little convincing, that's all."

 _"I'll leave that in the hands of his best friend~"_

"Want me to tell him that you called and you're still up?"

 _"Sure, that'd be good,"_ There was a pause that was followed by a muffled sound, _"Sorry, but I have to go. Tell Mikoto if I don't answer my phone that it's no big deal and I'll call him when I can. We're going for a tour of a new museum that just opened recently so I probably won't be able to answer his call. Also, remind him that I'll be home in few more days and to not get his panties in a bunch."_

"It's not his panties I'd be worrying about," Kusanagi teased, knowing Mikoto was going to go outright animalistic on Kaori once she stepped foot into the bar after receiving such a tease in the mail, "Consider it done and enjoy the rest of your vacation. We all miss you."

 _"I miss you guys too!"_ There was more shuffling before an aggravated voice insisted Kaori end her call, _"I have to go, but I'll call again before I leave!"_

Kusanagi smiled as he shut his phone off and pocketed it just as the door to the bar opened, "So the King finally returns," Turning around, he locked eyes with a tired Mikoto and grinned, "Kaori just called. Said she's doing good and that she's going to call you later since her ad her family are going to a museum."

"Is that so?" Mikoto rubbed the back of his neck as he crossed the floor with heavy steps and slumped into one of the bar stools, "I figured she was busy at this time of the day so I didn't bring my phone with me."

Kusanagi chuckled, "That's why she called me."

"How's the bitch treating her?" Mikoto asked with distaste in his tone, "If she values her life she'll reconsider any malevolent plans."

"Listen to you, acting like she's an evil villain from some movie," Kusanagi smirked, "To be honest, she never really mentioned her. She was talking more about her grandfather than anything. Said he's a really good guy that she'd like us all to meet."

Mikoto nodded, "Yeah, she talks about him sometimes. I guess he's got quite the twisted sense of humor."

"Oh? Well the way she made him sound was like he was an old pervert," Kusanagi chuckled, "But I suppose it's all a matter of opinion."

"Did she say if they're coming home early?"

"Nope. Still a few more days to go," Kusanagi smiled at the Red King, "Getting lonely upstairs at night? You could always come to my place and we'll invite Tatara over."

Mikoto grinned, "A slumber party? What are we, teenage girls?"

"It's an adult get-together with alcohol and naughty movies to critique," Kusanagi coughed with a slight glare to his eyes, "Besides, it's okay to hang out with the guys every now and then. You spend so much of your time with Kaori when everything's going smoothly outside of HOMRA, that you forget that you have male friends to talk to."

The Red King shot his closest friend a glare, "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you, the terrifying Red King of HOMRA, have let yourself willingly become whipped by your woman," Kusanagi teased.

Mikoto gave an indignant snort, "I'm not whipped."

"Oh, you are. Whether you want to admit it or not, she's got you hook, line and sinker."

"Bullshit."

"It's not," Kusanagi smirked, "You're just willfully blind to it because you love her too damn much to say the big _n-o_."

"I've told her no plenty of times," Mikoto narrowed his eyes.

"Oh yeah? Name a couple of times you told her no," The all-knowing bartender urged, smirking at the Red King with his teasing, taunting demeanor.

Mikoto paused for a moment but never let up on the ferocity of his narrow-eyed glare, "I always say no when it's in regards to her mother—"

"I don't want to hear anything about that woman because we already know your feelings towards her as a persona and subject of conversation," Kusanagi interrupted him slyly, "I want you to tell me when you've said no to an opportunity that you two could have spent time together but decided against it."

"That's not fair," Mikoto glared.

Kusanagi gave him a triumphant grin, "That's because you know I'm right."

"What are you guys doing?" Tatara peaked his head around the corner to look at his two companions, "Don't tell me you two are fighting."

"No, but I'm trying to make Mikoto realize that he's whipped," Kusanagi grinned over to Tatara, who fully walked around the corner to join them, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Tatara nodded with a sheepish smile, "Actually, I kind of have to agree. King rarely spends any time away from Kaori nowadays."

Mikoto shot Tatara a nasty glare but was ignored, "You both are incredible. I'm not whipped, so stop talking about me like I'm not here."

"We're just stating a fact," Kusanagi said while grinning as he placed a glass cup in front of Mikoto that was filled with dark liquid, "Here, it's a peace offering."

Mikoto grunted and took it, "Whatever."

"Aw, don't be upset at us!" Tatara frowned, "It's all in good fun, you know."

"At my expense?" Mikoto's brow rose, although both the bartender and his vassal could see the twitch in his lips that threatened to pull into a small smile despite the unfavorable situation.

Tatara suddenly grinned and nodded, "Yep!"

. . .

Mikoto had finally settled himself down into the covers of his bed after finishing his fifth glass of alcohol, mildly irritated by the fact that Kusanagi banished his buzzed self upstairs much like a parent would to a child. He'd finished his last cigarette for the evening and laid back, trying to relax in the silence that had been his constant companion for the past few days. It bothered him that Kaori wasn't with him of course, but it also bothered him that Kusanagi and Tatara teased him about being dependent on her.

He was the Red King, so a weakness like that was something he needed to avoid at all costs. It would be catastrophic if Kaori were to be used against him by one of his enemies, or even more so if she went missing and they found her dead and humiliated.

The thought alone made Mikoto's blood boil, forcing him toss and turn for what seemed like hours while his mind continued to plague his thoughts of what could happen to his lover if she were to end up in the wrong hands. It instantly reminded him of the dreams where he stood in the middle of what used to be Shizume City, surrounded by the wreckage caused by him losing control of his power. The thought alone made his blood run cold and his pulse race, knowing that he could be so easily tipped off the edge should anything happen to his lover.

He was also extremely aware of the fact that someone could have followed her to Europe and do something while she wasn't under his protection, but he quickly dismissed the idea to avoid causing a panic attack.

"Damn," Mikoto muttered angrily, "Maybe they were right."

With an irritated grunt, Mikoto flopped over onto his back again and tossed one of his arms over his face to cover his eyes. If he could get through the next few days without worrying about someone kidnapping Kaori and hold onto his dignity, he would appreciate it even more when she walked into the lobby of the airport terminal and straight into his arms.

Suddenly, he could hear his phone vibrate beside him and looked at it, noticing the screen was lit up with a private number trying to call. Deciding to pick up, Mikoto reached for the phone and answered the call as he propped the device by his ear.

"Who's this?" His eyes narrowed slightly.

He heard a familiar sigh and instantly relaxed, _"You know, it's not very nice to sound so guarded when your girlfriend calls you."_

"You know I don't usually answer numbers I don't recognize," He said with a somewhat snippy tone before smiling small, "How are things going?"

 _"Not bad, not bad. It's been a really busy week here on my end, what with all of the fun adventures grampy has been taking Uhie and I on while mum spends time with my grandmother."_

"Yeah, Izumo said that you'd called and told him you were going to some new museum."

 _"Oh, Mikoto... You should see that place. It was so gorgeous inside."_

He chuckled, "I can imagine it is. Did you take a lot of pictures?"

 _"Oh come on now, you know me way better than to ask me that question. Shoosh yeah, I took a butt-ton of pictures! I almost had to run back to my grandparents house to grab a couple of memory cards because I took so many shots."_

Mikoto smiled fully and closed his eyes, imagine Kaori grinning up at him like she normally did when she was excited, "I miss you."

 _"I miss you too. Next time there's a family trip to Europe, you're coming with me whether mum likes it or not."_

His smile was instantly melted away, "Fuck no. I'm not going to be in a small space for almost twenty hours with her."

He heard her laugh and let the scowl on his face be replaced with a more neutral expression, _"I know! So we'll plan a trip down here together, then. My grampy wants to meet you, anyways."_

"You mean you actually have a family member who doesn't think I'm some evil creature trying to steal your innocence?" Mikoto asked teasingly.

 _"Well, too late for the innocence part, but that's right! He was pretty excited when I told him that I'd met someone who actually stood up to my mother. He may be her relative, but he's nothing like her. I really, truly believe you two would get along great."_

He chuckled and smiled small, "I suppose it could be possible."

 _"So, Izumo tells me that you got your picture."_

"Yes, and I'm pissed that you'd send it to me," Mikoto grunted, "Such a fucking tease. Do you realize how cruel that was of you to do?"

He heard her giggle mischievously and could picture her grinning when he closed his eyes momentarily, _"Oh yes, but I couldn't help it. I was going to save the lingerie as a surprise for when I got back, but it was just so damn pretty that I couldn't wait and had to take a picture. I'm surprised it got to you as fast as it did because it would have had to be brought over on a plane to Japan."_

"Yeah, yeah. Either way, you need to hurry up and get your fine ass back here so I can properly thank you for that."

 _"Sorry Mikoto, but by the time I get back, it's gonna be my black-out week."_

"Oh, don't you even _try_ fucking bullshitting me," He smirked, "Do you honestly think that I don't know the normal routine? You're never late and your maintenance for this month is long gone. Come now, Kaori. We've been together for so long I can almost safely say we're into the years now, so you should know better than to question why I know these things."

 _"True, but it doesn't take away the fact that you know too much about my womanly endeavors."_

"I pay more attention than you think I do," Came the easy reply.

 _"Oh, I know you do, which is why it's so scary when you can so easily discuss these things with me."_

Mikoto rolled his eyes, "If I couldn't talk to my woman about her period, I wouldn't be a real man."

He heard what he could only assume was a fake, exaggerated sniffling sound on the other end, _"I know. Makes me so proud to have such a secure boyfriend."_

He chuckled at her theatrics before heaving a sigh, "Only a few more days left and then you're coming home. Your grandparents must be upset to see you guys leaving so soon."

 _"Yeah. Well, normally we only visit twice a year, but I guess they want us to come back for two weeks in December so I have until then to convince you to come for the visit."_

"And sit in a room with all of your snobby relatives? I don't think so," He chuckled, "It wouldn't be so bad if it was just us and your grandparents, but I'm sure your mother has already spread the news to all of the others and has them hating me already."

 _"I don't know. I don't really hear from any of my other relatives, so I suppose you could be right about that. Although, I was never really close to anyone but my grampy anyways, so the others opinions don't count."_

Mikoto sighed softly after a moment of comfortable silence between the two of them, "I have something amusing to tell you."

 _"Oh? What's that?"_

"According to Izumo and Tatara, they say that you've got me whipped."

 _"Well, duh."_

Not expecting her to agree with his two "peanut-gallery" friends, the corners of his lips quickly turned pulled down into a scowl that was paired with a halfhearted glare aimed at the ceiling, "Kaori."

 _"What? It's true! It's nothing to be ashamed of, though~ They're probably just jealous!"_

"You're in so much trouble when you get home," Mikoto muttered, already plotting on how he was going to make her change her mind and see that it was really him that was in control.

 _"I look forward to it~"_

 **\- x -  
**

Much to Mikoto's pleasure, the next few days rolled by rather quickly. Kusanagi had given the King tasks to help keep him busy, and there was also an incident where HOMRA had to track down an unfortunate soul who made the wrong move and turned them into his enemies. It was during the chase after their target, that they were met with the new leader of Scepter 4.

He was a cheeky, professional male that was around Mikoto's age and wore a very stern, calm expression even when smirking in the Red Kings direction.

His name was Reisi Munakata and with that name alone, already Mikoto could tell that the two of them were going to be facing each other quite often in disputes over crossing territories and catching their targets.

Nonetheless, after a battle between both the Red and Blue clan finished the evening before Kaori was to return Mikoto found that he'd finally been able to catch up on some much needed sleep for the first time since she'd gone away. Perhaps it was the fact that he'd finally met someone worth fighting against, or the idea that his lover would be back in the safety of his clan the next day. Either way, whatever the reason was, Mikoto was going to take it and get some rest before the long night he was sure Kaori was already prepared for.

The next day flew by in a blur and before they knew it, all of HOMRA stood in the lobby waiting for all of the passengers on the same flight returning from Europe to leave the baggage room. His amber eyes constantly scanned for her familiar head of brunette hair, when he finally caught sight of her and felt his chest tighten.

"Hey! Welcome home, Kaori!" Tatara waved excitedly as Kaori looked over to them and grinned brightly while waving back.

Of course, seeing the reaction she had after turning to look towards who had called to her daughter, Kaori's mother scowled nastily towards a certain red head, who matched her unhappy look with his own.

Much to her dismay, Mikoto decided to walk over to help Kaori with her bags and brushed passed her without uttering a word.

Kaori had been helping Uhie with her things when Mikoto stepped up behind her, "Welcome home."

"Glad to be back," Kaori looked back at him and smiled, leaning up as he leaned towards her to kiss her gently.

Uhie feigned a disgusted look and giggled, "Gross! Get a room!"

Kaori pulled away and grinned, "Just you wait until you find someone. I'm going to do the exact same thing to you when you kiss your lover in public."

"Fat chance! I'll make sure to only kiss my significant other in private!" Uhie crossed her arms and smirked, making her seem somewhat proud of herself for the statement.

"Mikoto."

Mikoto locked eyes with Kaori's mother and glared, "Kamei."

"I see you've brought your band of criminals with you," Kamei said with a sneer.

"They wanted to see Kaori, so don't worry about us trash wanting to greet you," Mikoto growled, reaching down to grab the handles to Kaori's bags without breaking eye contact, "You look like a fucking barbie with that fake tan you've plastered all over yourself."

Kamei bristled, "Shut your fucking mouth, scumbag."

"Nice one. Did you think of that on your own?"

"Guys!" Kaori sighed, "Can we not cause more of a scene than we already have?"

Uhie stood back and grinned, amused at the fact Mikoto showed no fear when talking to her mother, "Why stop them, sis? Let them fight it out."

"How about no, Uhie? I don't want Mikoto going to jail because our mother pushed him passed the point of no return," Kaori gave her a quickly glare before stepping in between the two of them and looking up at her mother, "I'll call you later."

Kamei scoffed and watched as Kaori led Mikoto back to the group of boys watching her with bright smiles, feeling disgusted that her daughter was so willingly surrounded by such rough looking males. It made it worse when her eyes landed on two boys who looked no older than mid-teens, seeing one with a happy expression on his face and the other, much less obvious, also quite happy to see her.

"She's so lucky to have a lot of friends like them," Uhie watched as each one of the members grabbed her sister and hugged her fiercely, "I wish I had friends that were that excited to see me."

"Shut your mouth, Uhie. You have no idea what you're talking about," Kamei glared at her youngest daughter, "Grab your bags and lets go. I can't bare to watch those thugs fawning over my daughter any longer."

Reluctantly, Uhie obeyed her mother and followed her out of the terminal after sending a longing look over her shoulder towards the group one last time.

Meanwhile, Kaori grinned happily at everyone and giggled at their enthusiasm.

"I wasn't gone for a year, guys!" She teased, reaching up to ruffle Yata's hair gently, "Although, I won't lie and say that I'm not extremely touched by such a warm welcome home."

Yata smiled while Kusanagi chuckled, "Well, at least now Mikoto will get back to his usual routine. It was getting really bad near the end of it."

Mikoto snorted while everyone laughed, always enjoying the moments where Kusanagi tormented their King and got away with it.

Kaori turned to look at Fushimi, who stood off to the side awkwardly and walked over to him, "Izumo told me that you're going to help him with the bar?" Fushimi looked at her and nodded slowly, going slightly wide eyed when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug, "That's great, Saru! I'm so happy that you're going to doing something to keep yourself busy."

Fushimi stared at her in mild shock before slowly returning her hug, albeit reluctantly, "Thanks..."

Tatara smirked at the scene and quickly produced his camera from out of nowhere, "Ah, finally~ A memory where Saruhiko is willingly being nice to someone!"

Several of the boys snickered while Fushimi glared at Tatara, "Don't you dare tape this."

"Too late~" Came Tatara's sing-song reply.

"Alright, let's get back to the bar and get everyone settled in for supper," Kusanagi smiled, "We're having sukiyaki tonight to formally welcome Kaori home."

Kusanagi's words caught everyone's attention and with a happy cry, all of HOMRA collected Kaori's luggage and ushered themselves outside towards the van to pack it so they could leave. It amused the bartender to no end when something so simple as a meal could motivate the boys to hustle and move their asses.

He shared an amused grin with Kaori before following after them, leaving her to walk with Mikoto hand-in-hand to the vehicle.

* * *

 **Stupid place to end this, but oh well~ :D**

 **I also want to state the fact that I DID edit this instead of being a lazy ass, but if I missed something I'll be re-reading it anyways so I can make changes then~**

 **Shall I also toss in the fact that we FINALLY, after many chapters in all of the related series, know Kaori's mother's name now! About damn time, right?! _Kamei Watari_ , everyone! The bitch of K Project! LOOL ;D**

 **Next update should be done this weekend, as I'm down to one exam to prepare for and then I'm DONEEEEEEEE~ WOOT! ... Then summer job, here I come. Boo!**

 **Anywhoo, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It's more on the humerus side than some of my others, but I felt like it was needed, especially after Anna's and the scene with Kaori's almost rape incident at the dance club. :)**

 **I love you guys so much and appreciate you all being so patient with me, but like I said, now that I've got all of my exams out of the way except for one, I can finally get back into a regular routine to shoot out updates! :)**

 **Also, for those of you who have heard of the anime Owari no Seraph/Seraph of the End, I've started a new story with two OC's paired with Ferid Bathory and Crowley Eusford, so if you want you guys can check that out!**

 **In regards to the Yata/Reina series some of you were so patiently waiting for, I kind of lost my idea for what I was going to do with that story, so I'm taking a chance to rethink my plot make sure not to just post some random bullshit. Sorry for the wait, but I want it to be worth it when I finally post it~ :D**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	10. CH X

**Hey guys~! :D**

 **Sorry it took so long with this, I've been focusing on An Interesting Twist even if it doesn't generate a lot of views. I just enjoy that story and am currently obsessed with Owari no Seraph LOOL**

 **First off, I just want to say: _WARNING! WARNING! IF YOU'VE NOT READ K SIDE: RED, YOU'RE GOING TO BE READING SPOILERS!_**

 **Obviously I'm not copying-pasting the entire thing into my story because, lets face it, my OC's aren't in the original series, so I'm going to mix it up a bit but I have to follow some lines to some extent. There's a lot of information in the chapters I'm trying to cram into this one, so I had to pick and choose what to put. It's not all going to be here, but for those of you who have read the novels, you'll understand what's going on. To those of you who haven't read the novel, you're going to think that I'm jumping around and leaving A LOT out.**

 **NOTE: Unedited, but I didn't have too much time to give it a good look-over. I'll do so tonight when I'm in bed and my table is fully charged :)**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH X**

 **Anna Kushina; The New Arrival – Part II (of III)  
**

* * *

"So, King..."

Kaori, who was sitting beside Mikoto quietly picking at her bowl of ice cream, looked towards Tatara and instantly noticed Anna hiding behind him. The fact that Tatara was grinning at the silent Red King made her own lips pull into a grin, waiting patiently for Mikoto's vassal and long-time friend to speak.

"What?" Mikoto looked at him and eyed him suspiciously, only to notice Anna was staring at him with her large, mirror-like eyes.

As Anna stared at the King, he suddenly felt very uncomfortable. She always stared at him like that, as if she were reading every thought in his head or seeing right through his soul. Those red eyes, that looked like glass hiding every emotion flooding in her being.

"It's a beautiful day outside, no?" Tatara began with an innocent tone and his grin still in place, "It'd be a shame not to go, say... To the amusement park?"

Mikoto's brow rose, "Then go."

"It'd be a shame not to go to the amusement park, no?" He repeated, his grin widening.

Kaori giggled at the expression on her lovers face, "Mikoto, I don't think it's Tatara asking," She gave Anna a very supportive, gentle smile, "You can ask him yourself, Anna. Tatara and I promise not to let him be mean to you."

Anna glanced at Kaori for a moment before slowly dragging her eyes up to meet Mikoto's amber ones, "I never got to go to an amusement park before..."

"Is that so?" Came the curt, almost ground out response.

Of course this was a setup. He knew if he said no, after hearing what Anna had to say and in front of two of the most important people to him, no less, that he'd be called a 'jerk', or a 'fiend'. Kaori was bound to scold him at some point for not humoring the young girl, so to save himself a lot of grief and a headache in the evening, Mikoto reluctantly agreed to accompany them to the amusement park.

This also peeked the interest of several other HOMRA members, so it became a clan excursion for the day. Yata and Kamamoto were more than happy to join, leaving a very excited russet haired boy to drag his unhappy partner along with them.

Kaori giggled as they walked through the gates, noticing the extremely happy expression on Tatara's face while he, Kamamoto, Anna and Yata walked ahead of herself, Mikoto and Fushimi. She opted to hang back to amuse her lover and the boy she felt she was very close with, feeling somewhat honored that he stuck so close to her and didn't seem all that uncomfortable.

"Are you hungry, Anna?" Kamamoto grinned down at her, "They make amazing crepes here!"

Anna looked up at him with wide eyes and nodded slowly, "Okay."

Tatara smiled and gripped Anna's hand gently while Kamamoto disappeared to go and collect their treats. Yata on the other hand, stared widely at all of the rides as if he'd never seen any of them before.

"Never been to an amusement park?" Tatara teased.

Yata shook his head, "No. Never got the chance, so I guess Anna and I are in the same boat!"

Anna blushed slightly at that, looking up at Yata as he chuckled in response to a silly comment Tatara had just made.

Meanwhile, Fushimi stood beside Kaori and Mikoto while he watched the display, "Why did I have to come to?"

"You had to come because you're part of HOMRA, and it made Anna happy when we all agreed to go," Kaori grinned at him, "Just humor the lovely lady for a little while, okay?"

Fushimi gave a click of his tongue but said nothing more.

Mikoto eyed Fushimi for a moment before looking at Kaori, "Are you going to go on anything today?"

"Probably," She looked at Mikoto, "Are you going to sit o a bench and brood the entire time?"

"Probably."

"Figured as much," Kaori sighed softly, "Promise me you'll come on at least one ride with me, if not me and Anna."

Mikoto's brow rose, "You think you're going to steal her from Tatara or Rikio anytime soon?"

"Oh, I will. Even if I have to knock one of them out to do it," She teased, looking over to see Kamamoto had returned with two crepes in his hand, holding one out for Anna to take, "She seems to really like Rikio, doesn't she?"

Mikoto watched the scene in front of him with a neutral expression, "Hn."

"Saru!" Yata suddenly ran up to the three and grabbed his less-than amused partner by the wrist and began dragging him away, "Lets go on some rides!"

Fushimi glared, "Misaki, let go of me!"

Kaori watched the two and giggled before looking at Mikoto, "Are you really just going to sit on a bench and brood all day?"

Mikoto stared as Tatara approached them, "Yeah. You go ahead and have fun."

"Mikoto..." Kaori frowned slightly.

"King, mind if I borrow Kaori for a while?" Tatara beamed, not at all fazed by the scathing look the Red King shot him, "I'll take that as a yes."

Mikoto let Tatara pull his lover away from him and sighed when they walked over to join the others, following behind at a distance until he reached a bench in a designated area for smokers. Deciding this would be where he occupied for the entirety of their stay, he lounged back and looked up to the sky, ignoring all of the concerned stares he received and allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts.

. . .

Kaori watched as Anna continued to pull Kamamoto and Yata towards the more fast-paced, daring rides and would go on them without even a blink of an eye. It amused her to think that such a tiny, expressionless young girl found entertainment in something so dangerous. It was even more amusing that on certain rides, Anna would give Kamamoto a doe-eyed look and he would exert some of his power to make the rides go faster. The spinning teacups seemed to be her favorite, seeing as how Anna would drag Kamamoto and Yata behind her to go on them repeatedly.

"Do you think she's finally starting to enjoy our company?" Tatara looked down at Kaori with a smile.

She nodded and sighed softly, "I hope that we can get this whole ordeal with the Center over with so that we can take her. Even if I have to sign adoption papers and become her legal guardian, I'd like to see her with us rather than play the experimental doll to the Gold King."

Tatara nodded, "I think Izumo would agree with you and offer up to be her guardian as well."

"Yeah. He and I have already privately talked about it," Kaori watched Anna and could have sword she caught a glimpse an an almost-smile, "He said that if there needed to be two names on the certificate, that he would sign with me since Mikoto is still on the fence about having her around."

"That's very kind of him," Tatara smiled, "I would do it too, if it meant that we got to keep Anna with us."

Kaori nodded and smiled up at Tatara, "I know you would."

They continued to follow closely behind the three for quite some time, not noticing the sun had begun to set until Anna finally expressed that she needed a break. It was during that time when Kaori finally realized how close the tiny girl had gotten with Kamamoto, making her smile brightly at the sight of the two nestled together with Anna laying on top his bulging stomach.

He looked absolutely content with this and had a huge smile on his face, even as Yata teased him.

"So," Kaori looked up at Tatara, "Did you happen to see where Saruhiko went?"

Tatara gave her a thoughtful look for a moment before blinking, "Come to think of it, no."

"Wouldn't it be grand if he made his way over to where Mikoto was?" Kaori grinned cruely, "They'd have no choice but to talk if that were the case."

With a chuckle, Tatara shook his head, "You're evil."

"I know."

"Should one of us go find King?" Tatara asked, "It's getting dark out and I'm sure Anna would enjoy it if King joined us for one ride."

"I'll go," Kaori smiled.

As she offered to go retrieve Mikoto, Anna looked over to her, "Can I come?"

"Sure!" Kaori grinned.

Anna slowly slid off Kamamoto and padded her way over to the brunette, accepting the hand that Kaori held out to her and followed closely beside the woman as they searched for the Red King.

It was a comfortable silence between the two as they walked in tandem, with Anna gripping Kaori's fingers tighter every now and then to remind her that she was there. It would bring a smile to Kaori's face whenever Anna would gesture towards a stand with large stuffed animals with her emotionless face and wide eyes seemingly sparkling with glee. She made the tiny girl a promise to bring the boys along to win her whatever it was she wanted before they left for the night, satisfying Anna to the point where she almost, _almost_ smiled up at her.

"Are you enjoying your time with us?" Kaori asked, letting the curiosity get the better of her.

Anna nodded but said nothing more, simply looking up at her as if she knew Kaori had more to say.

"You seem to really like spending time with Rikio," She pointed out, grinning down at the girl while she nodded again, "What about Misaki and Tatara?"

"They're nice," Anna replied slowly, "Misaki is loud."

Kaori giggled at that, "I agree. He can be a little loud when he gets going, but he's very fond of you. We all are."

Anna looked up at her and stared for what seemed like forever. It wasn't until they neared where Mikoto was sitting, with a nervous looking Fushimi beside him, that Anna shifted her gaze to stare at the now uncomfortable Red King.

Slipping her hand from Kaori's grip, Anna rushed over towards the bench and stopped a mere foot away from it. Her eyes were fixated on Mikoto in an almost eerie way, making him shift slightly and look straight to Kaori to avoid giving the doll-like girl a disgruntled, rude face in response to her attention.

"I take it that Tatara sent you to find us?"

Kaori nodded, "They wanted you and Saru to join us for at least one right," She walked over and reached down to grab Mikoto's hand, pulling towards herself so she could attempt to haul his figure off the bench, "Come on, be nice and just come with us for one ride. It won't kill you!"

Mikoto made a face but didn't struggle against Kaori, allowing her to heave his body into a standing position before he looked down to see Anna still staring at him. At some point both Tatara and Yata reappeared to collect Fushimi and the others, pulling them towards where the ferris wheel was to get there before they closed it down.

As they walked towards the spot, Mikoto looked down at Kaori, "Did you notice them?"

"I thought I saw someone earlier, but I figured since we have her out in the open and after what happened at the facility, we would be watched," Kaori looked at Mikoto, "I think that's why Tatara was so adamant about you joining us. He wanted to make sure they wouldn't blindly attack because they would outnumber us otherwise."

Mikoto nodded, looking over to Tatara, who was smiling down at Anna talking to her despite the fact she hardly spoke back, "Stay close to me for the rest of our time here."

Kaori nodded and walked beside him as they tailed behind the group, feeling somewhat disappointed for Anna when they arrived to the ferris wheel only to see it had been closed. She looked down at her and could see the open disappointment on her face, when Mikoto released her hand and walked over to the child.

It shocked Kaori more than Tatara when he leaned down to scoop Anna up with one arm and situate her on his hip before motioning with his free hand for her to go to him, wrapping his arm around her waist to secure her against him when she was in reach. He muttered for her to hand onto him before grabbing Tatara by the collar, and with one powerful kick from both feet, they leaped into the air with hardly a sound. When they reached the top of the building that stood at the highest point, he released Tatara before setting Anna down on her feet. He felt Kaori's arms leave his neck and looked down at her for a moment before looking around at various sections of the park with narrowed amber eyes.

"Tatara," Mikoto said in a voice that told the younger male he was in trouble, "If you knew they were going to be here today, why hide that fact and just outright tell me you wanted me to come?"

"It wasn't my idea," Tatara gave him a sheepish smile, "It was Izumo's. He wanted to make sure that when we came here, that we would have you as insurance to stop the Blue's from attacking."

"They're still surrounding the area," Mikoto grunted.

Kaori frowned, stepping close to Anna while Mikoto brushed passed them to stand near the edge of the roof, "You're going down there?"

"I'm going to scatter them and chase them off," Mikoto never looked over his shoulder towards her, "I want you and Tatara to stay up here with the brat. They obviously don't like the idea that she's with us and probably think I'll turn her into my clansman. There's a reason no one's telling us about why she's so damn important, but at least this way I get to play with the soldiers and let off some steam in the meantime."

Tatara chuckled softly, "Well, you have the two vanguards and Rikio down there as backup."

As Mikoto moved to step over the edge, Anna caught his sleeve, "Mikoto..."

"The Blue's won't touch a civilian. It's an agreement they made long before all of this, so don't worry," He said in a tone unlike the usual one he used, catching a glimpse of Kaori smiling towards him for being so gentle (in his standards) towards Anna, "It'll be done soon, so stay with Kaori and Tatara."

With a gentle squeeze, he managed to pry Anna's hand from his clothing before jumping down to meet the Blue's. Kaori walked closer to the edge to watch Mikoto in action, not missing a beat when his sword appeared high in the sky. They were too high above ground for her to hear what he was saying, but she knew him well enough that he was going to taunt the Blue clansmen out of hiding. Either that, or use the force of his power to flush them out.

From beside her, Anna stared in awe at the magnificent sword in the sky. Tatara noticed this and smiled, explaining to her what that signified and its purpose. She noted that it appeared damaged, but Kaori eased her worries by telling her that every King that reigns in their power suffers from some sort of minor injury. She told the child that a sword was a perfect representation of a King and their condition, being that if they were sick, the sword would be sick along with them.

"He holds almost too much power for one person to control," Kaori sighed, "He keeps a tight reign on it and always has to worry about letting go or having his hold slip even for a second, but it's a burden that comes along with being a King."

"Fire is dangerous," Anna whispered, "It's too powerful."

Kaori nodded, "It is."

"Think of it as a beast inside another beast," Tatara walked over so he was beside them rather than behind the two and looked up at the sword in the sky, "I think those damaged points are from his internal struggle to keep the beast of his power at bay. It helps now that he has Kaori to help calm his tendencies, but it's going to be a struggle within himself for the rest of his life."

Anna looked to Tatara before turning to Kaori, who had placed a hand gently on her shoulder, "You must of seen it. His dream, I mean. He told me that you two connected, so you must have seen it."

With a slow nod, Anna turned to look down at the scene below, "Is it painful to become a King?"

"Not that I'm aware of, no," Tatara looked down at her curiously, "Why do you ask?"

Anna watched the fiery display that Mikoto put on down below for quite some time before she formulated what she wanted to say. She didn't enjoy seeing all of those Blue clansmen running around in the midst of all of those flames, but it didn't appear that they were getting seriously injured from it all.

 _I want to become the Blue King._

. . .

During the evening, several of the Red clansmen made their way to the school Honami was currently in working overtime. Kusanagi and Mikoto had discussed a few things and decided to leave Kaori with Anna, but the child protested. Honami offered to tend to her while she finished her work and was more than happy to have the company in her office after Kusanagi said that Anna was feeling a little lonely.

Conversation went back and forth for a while as all of the Red Clan spoke about the happenings from earlier that day. Kusanagi was not only shocked to hear that Anna declared that she wished to become the Blue King, but concerned and agreed with Mikoto's suspicions. Sure, the girl was an extremely powerful strain for being so young, but there were reasons that no one could gather for why the Gold King and the Blue's wanted her so bad.

"There's the incident with her parents that we can't overlook," Kusanagi exhaled in a deep sigh.

Fushimi eyed him for a moment, "She hasn't realized that the Center most likely had her parents killed in order to obtain her?"

"Saru! How could you say that!" Yata glared.

"Misaki, Saruhiko has a point," Kusanagi looked at the hot-headed russet boy for a moment, "It's not entirely unlikely that they would have orchestrated something like this to take Anna from their custody. This way, they would have an alibi that no one would question."

"So what do we do?" Tatara sighed, sitting back in his seat at the desk.

Kusanagi glanced over to Mikoto, who had been silently standing by the window the entire time, "Are you going to do it?"

"I can't make anyone into one of my clansmen unless they are willing," Mikoto looked at his second-in-command, "I won't force her, either."

"But what if we could convince her to join?" Tatara looked at the Red King.

Mikoto eyed him for a moment before looking out the window, "A child in a group of good-for-nothings, huh?"

Tatara grinned at that while Kusanagi chuckled, "It's decided then."

Unknown to the group hidden in the classroom, Anna had overheard what was said in revelation of her parents.

She ran.

. . .

What Kaori had heard the next morning after walking into the bar area broke her heart. The boys were discussing what had been broadcasted on the news and Anna's name had been mentioned silently amongst them all. They were talking about her powers and how they could have possibly caused all of the incidents that happened during the night, being that many people were taken to the hospital with unique circumstances.

"Do you think her power is more effected by her emotions?" Kaori voiced aloud, "Something that caused her pain the past could be what's causing her to feel these things."

Tatara nodded, "She gave a burn on my arm when she touched me after first meeting me," He lifted his sleeve up to show what remained of the mark on his forearm, "They said that the people taken to the hospital either said that they felt that they were drowning, or had been severely burnt."

"Did I cause this?" Fushimi muttered, earning a concerned look from Kaori, "I was the one who brought up that the Center executed her parents."

Kusanagi moved to speak but he'd already shoved his chair back and made his way to the door, not stopping as Yata hollered to him to stop. It was obvious that he blamed himself, but the others didn't feel he was fully responsible. They hadn't considered Anna spying on them while they talked, so they were all at fault for overlooking something so simple as a child's curiosity.

They were all so upset with watching Fushimi run out of the bar that they hadn't noticed Mikoto had disappeared, somewhat worrying Kaori but Tatara just shot her a reassuring smile.

"We should try and track down Anna," Kusanagi ran his fingers through his dirty blond tresses, "But where the fuck do we start?"

"She could be at the Center," Kaori looked at him, "If she were causing trouble in the public last night, Scepter 4, with or without a King, would have stepped in to detain her."

Kusanagi sighed in aggravation, "Lovely. We'll never get her out of there, then."

 _Crush it._

"On second thought, we already know what our King wants to do," Another sigh escaped Kusanagi's lips, earning a curious look from Kaori, "We're going to break down the doors to the Center and go take Anna back."

Kaori went wide eyed, "What?! But that's Gold territory!"

"You know what your idiot boyfriend is like," Kusanagi pulled a cigarette from the pack in his hands and placed it between his lips before lighting it, "We'll just have to get you and Tatara down to the main holding level so you two can get her. We're going to be the muscle."

Tatara smiled while Kaori frowned, "If it comes down to a fight, we're at an extremely bad disadvantage."

"Don't worry!" Yata grinned, "We may be small in numbers, but with Mikoto leading us, we're unstoppable!"

Kaori watched as the young teen scrambled to run after Fushimi with his skateboard in hand, leaving Kamamoto, Tatara and Kusanagi to gape at his hasty exit.

"We should plan this out since Mikoto will be making his own rules," Kusanagi leaned down and shuffled around the back of his bar before pulling out what looked like a rolled map, "I kept the map of the Center, so lets go over this before we walk into anything."

Tatara nodded and walked over, waiting for Kusanagi to finish unrolling the paper on the counter top. Meanwhile, Kaori noticed that Bando had returned with several other new faces. Chitose and Dewa, the newest recruits, followed him in closely and waved to Kaori when their eyes landed on her.

"Not only do we have to keep the majority of our clan with us to infiltrate this place, but we can't leave Honami unprotected," Kusanagi muttered, "So we'll need at least three or four guys with her."

The door to the bar opened once more, as they all looked over to see Mikoto walk in. He headed straight for the bar, where Kusanagi had a glass of alcohol waiting for him. He explained what had already been discussed with the Red King before giving him a pointed look.

"Boss, we can't have you lighting the place up because the Center is attached to a civilian hospital," Kusanagi warned, "So we're going to be the force that gets us down to the lower levels and wait until the last possible moment to have you let loose."

Mikoto picked up the glass and took a drawn out sip while giving Kusanagi a menacing look, "Fine."

"We've decided that Kaori and Tatara will be the ones to get Anna, since she doesn't mind being around either of them," Kusanagi said to Mikoto, "I know you don't like the idea of Kaori getting involve with any clan affairs, but Anna likes her. She needs someone that she can trust if she's going to willingly come with us."

"I will bring Tatara, but not Kaori," Mikoto narrowed his eyes, "That's not up for negotiations."

"Mikoto," Kaori frowned as she met his eye.

"No," He gave her a sharp look, "It's bad enough that we have to go and break the kid out the Center, but if the Gold clan decides to try and stop us, you're in danger. If I didn't think she'd run for the hills when she saw me, I wouldn't be bringing Tatara, either."

Tatara watched the two and sighed, giving Kaori a sympathetic look before reaching out to place a hand on her arm, "I'll make sure nothing happens to any of your boys, Kaori. You can trust me."

"I know," Kaori sighed, reaching up to rub her forehead with one of her hands, "I just feel useless while you're all going to be risking your lives."

"If you want to be of some help, why not bring Honami here and help protect her?" Kusanagi offered, "That way, you and her will have protection. We also know that you've got one hell of a temper when needed, so I doubt those Blue bastards would stand a chance if you got pissed and had to fight along side the boys we leave with you."

Kaori smiled at his consideration, "Alright, I'll do that."

"You and Tatara are like the peace keepers, so I'm sure you'll try to use words rather than fists if it comes down to that," Kusanagi smiled back, "You and Honami get along, too, so you can help keep her relaxed while we're down there."

"So, we're doing this today?" Bando asked quietly from behind Tatara, earning a nod from Kusanagi.

"Gather all of our clansmen and have them meet us here," Kusanagi looked at Kamamoto, "Get a hold of Yata and make sure he and Saruhiko make their way over here immediately. As for Honami, Chitose, you and Kaori go and pick her up and then bring her back here."

Chitose nodded and looked at Kaori, who was already walking towards him when she was stopped by a hand clamping down on her shoulder.

Mikoto looked at her with a serious expression in his amber eyes, "I want you back here before we leave."

"I know," She smiled reassuringly at him, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

The Red King shot Chitose a warning look before releasing his lover, letting her exit the bar with one of their newest members.

While the rest of HOMRA prepared for their assault on the Gold's territory, it took only twenty minutes for Kaori to return with Chitose and Honami. She was quickly ushered inside while Kaori gently pulled her into the kitchen to prepare some tea, leaving the boys to file out of the bar and meet outside the doors.

"You five will be here for the time being," Kusanagi motioned to the ones he was speaking to, "No one goes in, and no one comes out. Understood?"

They nodded.

It was only a few minutes later when Yata, who pulled a sour looking Fushimi behind him, showed up just in time for them to leave. Mikoto was not far behind them, having walked out of the bar already hostile and ready for a fight. All of his clansman could feel the pulsate of his power as he walked down the steps to join them, producing sparks as he stepped while his energy flowed off him in waves.

"Let's go."

. . .

Shiotsu watched as the Minato twins silently discussed what their opinions of what was about happen. He couldn't help but agree with them when the Red clan was mentioned, knowing that they had a particular fondness for the child Mizuchi was so fixated on. It was made obvious to him after talking with the Red clan's second-in-command, after he'd mentioned it but not come right out and admit it.

It also didn't suit his fancy when he watched the tins talk in turns, both seemingly excited for the idea of an upcoming battle. He'd make sure that the troupes of Scepter 4 were prepared for a fight, even if it wasn't their territory. Sure, he'd thought the Red clan was ridiculously brave for thinking they could storm into the Gold King's territory to break that child out, but he was curious to see how far they would get.

Shiotsu was always aware that Mizuchi was trying to prepare the child to become the next Blue King, but so far making no headway with her in regards to her having been "touched by the slates". He thought it was a waste of time. That girl was an exceptionally powerful strain, yes, but she was no King. Mizuchi, however, couldn't see passed that and was so focused on her that he was borderline obsessed.

"Ready the troupes and make preparations to have the civilians moved to avoid casualties if a fight breaks out," Shiotsu said to the twins, earning a gleeful grin from each other.

Hayato looked at Akito, "He means _when_ a fight breaks out."

"With those noisy, brash Red's, it's guaranteed."

Shiotsu watched them, "Just do it."

"Understood," They aid in unison.

* * *

 **For those of you interested, I recommend reading the books anyways, just so you get a good look at how Anna joined HOMRA. I definitely recommend going to look at "Secrets of the Slate" on tumblr. They have a wonderful collection of English translations for almost ALL of the K Project novels and other projects! :)**

 **Anywho! We're getting to the good parts, now! Next chapter will feature the battle and what goes on, as I've been doing two Side: Red chapters per chapter in this series, so the next update will finish off Anna's portion of the story! :)**

 **Also, just a head's up, the next update following the completion of Anna's 'arc' is going to be upsetting, so prepare your kleenex's for those of you who are softies. I'm probably going to get teared up writing it, so just prepare yourselves. LOOL**

 **Anywhooooo, I love you all SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH and thank each and every one of you for being so patient with me in regards to my schooling! I've got the date for my last exam and it's closing in on me faster than I would like it to, since Math is NOT my best subject, but it's the home stretch! Yay! :D**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	11. CH XI

**Ahhhh~ So here's the last half of the three-part introduction to Anna! :D**

 **I figured I would get this out now because I've been working on it since supper time, and it's now passed midnight. Oh, insomnia... How I love you so much when you want to work with him as I type these things out~ NOT. -huff-**

 **This was particularly annoying and difficult to write as the last two chapters have so much information in them that it was hard for me to condense it all into one update, but I did it for all of you lovelies. This chapter will be hella long, but I promised you a lengthy update in the last one anyways. ;)**

 **Sorry if it seems choppy, but a lot of it would have been like a "copy-paste" thing if I'd gone into detail. I really wanted to describe a lot of the fight scenes, but like I said, it would have been like I was just copying everything straight from the novels.**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XI**

 **Anna Kushina; The New Arrival – Part III (of III)**

* * *

 _It was dark in the room that Anna was locked away in, left alone to her own devices as means of punishment for her escaping the Center's grasp and for disobeying a certain Blue clansman. She could feel an array of emotions flood over her like harsh, unforgiving waves in the sea that brought a storm into her delicate mind. She was scared, and she knew she'd made a mistake._

 _"Have you learned your lesson?"_

 _When began Mizuchi asking her such taunting, arbitrary questions, Anna could only hug her knees closer to her chest and nod under his cold, emotionless gaze. He was smiling at her, taking pleasure in seeing her so cooperative attitude. If she was to become the next Blue King, he would reign in her power and have her under his control before she finally contacted the slates and touched them to be granted power._

 _In the room that they were currently in, Anna felt cold. She had no comfort in the dull, monochrome room aside from the red marbles that had been left scattered across the table in front of her. Instantly, it reminded her of_ him _and the the warmth she'd felt in his clan. She recalled having been touched of his red to the inner depths of her soul, knowing that changed her for eternity._

 _There was also that woman who bravely stood so close to the man, unafraid to meet his sharp gaze and would smile up at him with what Anna could only imagine was affection. She'd seen the way her mother once looked at her father and compared the two to them. Were they like her parents? That woman would look at her with such kind, caring eyes that it would unnerve her. It was like she was seeing too much, too soon. Anna took a moment to wonder if she would ever see that woman again, or her aunt, Honami._

 _But, that man..._

 _She knew from the beginning that she was not sick, but having that term shoved down her throat and being forced to swallow it was what made her believe. There were also the constant threats from Mizuchi that kept her in line, knowing that he would be hovering over her until she could one day break free from him. It had always been like this, since the day she had been left in the hospital by her parents and told she was 'special'._

 _Anna would plead with her mother and father to listen to her and trust in her words, telling them repeatedly that she was not sick. She hadn't suffered any medical trauma or had a mental illness that the regular, standard doctors seemed to think she had. No, she was able to manipulate a person's mind and make them experience her own pain. She could see things that others couldn't, and that made her a freak. After her third visit to another clinician, her parents were referred to the Center, where Anna was registered and submitted to their mercy._

 _It would seem, however, that they were moved by Anna's emotions and decided to give it one last chance. Anna was brought home and together, her mother and father discussed her fate. When it was decided that she no longer had to go to the Center, Anna stood beside Honami in the living room window as her parents got into the car to go negotiate the terms they'd agreed to about Anna's condition._

 _It would be the guilt that consumed her for the rest of her life, knowing she'd willingly let her parents drive into that trap._

 _This was how Mizuchi controlled her._

 _She questioned him and was met with a cold smile as he offered her a bogus explanation as to why her parents had been executed. He would assure her that he was not the one responsible, but deep down she knew the difference._

 _"I promise to stay here and not run away again," Anna said softly, not wanting to look at his face again to see a triumphant look in his eyes, "So, please... Don't hurt Honami."_

 _"Such determination," Mizuchi pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning against and walked towards her, "Should you finally hone your power and reach the point of connecting to the slates, you won't have to be cooped up in this facility any longer," He paused and let out a forced, dramatic sigh, "If only you'd arrived here earlier, than we could have shortened the process significantly."_

 _"Stop," Anna muttered, gripping the hem of her frilly blue dress._

 _Mizuchi grinned down at her and crossed his arms, "Well, lets not waste more time than we already have. Begin, and this time, try to reach the slates."_

 _Nodding slowly, Anna closed her eyes and focused all of her power into the marbles sitting motionlessly on the table. With a tickle of her energy, the red orbs began to circulate around a map of the city that Mizuchi had laid down earlier when Anna had been brought to the room. Using her 'other' eyes, Anna was able to see around the city. It was if she was floating and passing through walls, letting her celestial self guide her towards what she was seeking._

 _As the form made its way to the building which pierced the sky with its outstanding height, Anna walked inside. Suddenly, she felt bombarded with a force that was very similar to when she'd been met with the Red King's energy, although this time it was trying to force her out. She was feeling the Gold King, knowing he was there protecting the slates and would make it difficult for her to touch them._

 _To the very top she went, passing through many hallways until she finally reached a pair of sliding doors decorated in lavish, old-style Japanese picture. She passed through, seeing to the middle of the room where the Dresden Slates lay._

 _She could feel them pulsing as if they were alive; so heavy and suffocating, it was if the entire room shook with its power._

 _One by one, her feet carried her towards the massive piece in the center of the room. Taking a deep breath, she allowed her heart to become synchronized with the pulsing of the slates, feeling the power flow through her as the maze of cracks covering the rock form began to glow._

Too much...

 _"Failure again?" Mizuchi watched as Anna finally came to, after having passed out and fallen limply to the floor, "This is unacceptable, Anna."_

 _Anna frowned and looked down at the floor while pushing herself up, "I touched it this time."_

 _"Oh? Well then, at least we've made some progress," He walked back towards the door and looked over his shoulder to her, "Continue trying. I have a feeling that your escapade to the Red's territory will cause us some trouble within the next little while."_

 **\- x -**

It should have surprised Mikoto when he and his clan pushed passed the few Blue clansman playing guard at the front doors to the civilian hospital portion of the building. However, his eyes were set on finding a pair of black doors that Tatara had pointed out to him as they made their way over, knowing that once they crossed through to the other side, it would be war.

His amber eyes narrowed when he caught sight of more Blue's, only this time, there were twins standing guard with gleeful expressions in their eyes.

From behind him, Yata clicked his tongue and dropped his skateboard in preparation to fight. Several of the other Red's shuffled and prepared themselves as well, either gripping their weapons tighter or closing in around their King to charge forward when given the order.

"This is your last warning, Suoh," The black haired Hayato Minato said.

His brown haired brother, Akito Minato, grinned, "You will be punished for entering another King's territory without permission, Red King. Turn back or face the consequences."

"We've come to collect one of ours," Mikoto said in a monotone voice as his eyes narrowed at the two.

"Ah, you must be talking about the girl. Anna Kushina, was it? I'm sorry, but she's a strain and a danger to the civilians, so she is no longer your concern," Said the twins in a mocking, flat voice.

Yata watched the two and felt his blood boil as his flames threatened to burst out of his body, "Can I?"

"Go ahead," Mikoto never looked back at his clansmen as he spoke.

Yata grinned a very malicious grin towards the twins, tossing his flaming bat in their direction as he pointed towards them, "Let's cut the shit and get started. I'm tired of listening to you two run your mouths!"

All of the HOMRA members suddenly joined in, all smirking and readying themselves for the fight while the Blue's began unsheathing their blades. As Mikoto ordered them to destroy them, Yata lifted his weapon to the sky and yelled loudly.

"Alright, let's do this!"

"Yeah! No blood! No bone! No ash!"

Charging forward with a mighty kick to the ground, Yata skated across the floor and headed straight for the middle of the fray. Giving another kick, Yata was air born and cut through the Blue's defenses. It was only when he was met with one of the twins, Hayato, that he was brought back to the ground and smirked. The two exchanged several blows until another presence made itself known from behind him, but Fushimi intervened quickly with a sigh and a click of his tongue.

"We'll hold these two off so you can make a path!" Yata looked at Kamamoto, "Cut them down!"

"Alright, let's do this!" Kamamoto exclaimed with delight, charging forward with other clansmen on his heels.

"Quick! Don't lose formation and stop them from entering the Center!"

"Shut your mouth, dogs!"

Excitement began to build as the Red clansmen felt their King begin to move, followed by Kusanagi and Tatara. There were frantic yells from the Blue's as Mikoto made his way down the path his clan had created for him, only two in particular were more interested in who was in front of them.

"Tch," Yata smirked at the twins, "You two are doing a shitty job at protecting the door to the facility, aren't ya?"

The twins both eyed Yata and Fushimi, who was standing beside his companion with narrowed eyes, "We have only one objective, and that is to eliminate the targets in front of us."

"Is that so?" Yata mocked, "Well then, lets get this over with. I promise I'll make it painless for you when I knock you both the fuck out."

"Such vulgarity," Hayato sighed.

Akito watched the russet haired boy, "This will end in our favor."

From around them, the battle between the Red and Blue clan continued as blades clashed with weapons being held by HOMRA. To the twins, the cries of Mikoto getting dangerously close to breaching their defenses were long gone. All they were focused on was the two in front of them, who were currently the strongest duo of all of the other clansmen. The vanguards, Misaki Yata and Saruhiko Fushimi.

 _"The Third King, Mikoto Suoh has entered the facility!"_

The announcement echoed through every hall and room in the underground portion of the Center, finally reaching Mizuchi's ears. His body froze for a split second before a cruel smile graced his lips as he looked down at the tiny, doll-like girl still slumped on the floor.

"How does it feel, Anna? Do you feel like a trapped princess to be rescued by her King?"

Anna didn't look at him and didn't answer him right away, "I want Honami to be safe."

Meaning, she didn't want to be saved.

Little did she know that Honami was in the safest place she could possibly be at the moment, under the protection of the woman who was the closest to being a Queen in her own rights than any other.

Mizuchi taunted her once more, "Pain brings forth more power in your abilities, Anna. Let your power feed off that sadness and allow it to consume you. Take control and push further if you wish to save your aunt. You need to the become a King in order to protect her, and that is what you want, isn't it?"

Anna began to shake a little, nodding slowly and finally looking up to meet his eyes.

She hated how cold they were, and how amused his facial expressions appeared when in regards to her suffering.

However, he was running out of time. He knew it was a gamble he'd taken on a child capable of handling the influence of the slates in order to become a King, and it was with his own life that he put at stake. Whether it be the notorious Red King that eliminated him, or the copious amount of "rabbits" that flooded into the facility to eventually find him, he wouldn't be walking out of here alive. It was a dangerous thing he'd set his mind to, knowing he was indirectly meddling in affairs that the Gold King should be dealing with, but he had no other option. His research on the matter had led him this far, having been working under Daikaku Kokujoji for some time in the laboratory, but from what he discovered left unanswered questions.

That's why he was determined to salvage this girl and rise her to the top. He wanted answers and to know if it were possible to 'create' a King. He would be the one to discover if it were possible.

 **\- x -**

Honami paced in the main bar area as she nibbled on the fleshy part of her thumb. Not only was she confused as to why she was escorted to the bar and left there without any explanation, but the girl standing in behind the counter polishing Kusanagi's glasses to occupy her time hadn't been any help to her curiosity, either.

"Mikoto," Honami looked over to Kaori, noticing she'd paused briefly at the sound of her lovers name but continued with what she was doing, "He came to see me before I was picked up. Did you know about that?"

Kaori smiled and set one of the finished glasses down, "He wanted to make you aware that we were going to protect you and Anna at all costs, didn't he?"

"Well, yes, but–" Honami frowned, but Kaori cut her off politely.

"Then trust him," She finally looked up at the older woman and offered her a kind smile, "Anna will be fine. She's in great, capable hands."

Honami watched as Kaori continued the usual routine she'd often saw Kusanagi doing and reluctantly walked over to the counter, "Can you make drinks?"

"Hmm, I only know a few but Izumo has instructions in case he's away and one of us losers tends to his precious business," Kaori giggled, "What can I get you?"

"Whatever you find easiest to mix," Honami sighed, running her fingers through her hair gently, "He hinted to me that the hospital she's staying at isn't for normal people. Did you know she was different?"

Kaori prepared one of her favorite, minimal alcoholic drinks and laid a piece of black cloth down before setting the glass on top of it, "Yes, we all did. Anna is a very gifted young woman that is just like you or me, only she has abilities that not all people understand. They're called strains, which are gifted individuals that are born with special powers."

Honami stared at Kaori wide eyed, as if she suddenly realized something from before their conversation had begun, "He told me he was a King..."

"He is," Kaori leaned down on the bar with her arms folded comfortably, "Like Anna, he was born receptive to the powers that most humans don't have. It was difficult for him, but he accepted his new role in life."

"You're alright with that?" Honami frowned, "He looked so upset when he spoke, as if he were depreciating himself after giving me what little details he did."

Kaori heaved in a wistful sigh and smiled small, "It's been hard on him since he's got access to so much power that he keeps so tightly guarded, but he's coping. Just like him, Anna will learn to cope and eventually control her powers perfectly. All she needs is guidance that we can provide."

Honami nodded slowly, "Then, you...?"

"I also have power, yes," Kaori looked at her, "But I wasn't born with this. I was gifted, along with several others. We use our power to protect those we care about, and we wish to teach Anna to do the same."

"I... I knew there was something different and that it wasn't a sickness, but I let her go into that awful place," Honami's eyes began to swell with tears, "I feel like I've failed her."

Reaching out, Kaori placed her hand gently over Honami's in a comforting gesture, "Please don't beat yourself up over this, Honami. I'm sure everything will make sense when you and Anna finally talk about everything that's going on. I know for a fact that she doesn't blame you."

Her words seemed to work, noticing Honami was slowly calming down but the tears were still streaming down her face.

"You know, Anna talked about you once..." Honami looked at Kaori, "She said that she was comfortable around you. At first, I thought I was dreaming when she'd spoken. It was almost like a whisper, but it was real."

Kaori smiled at that and felt her heart swell, "She's more than welcome here, Honami."

"Maybe she would be better off staying with you," She sighed deeply and rubbed under her eyes with her fingers.

"Don't say that," Kaori frowned slightly, "Anna loves you, Honami. Let her decide."

Honami looked up at her and nodded slowly. There was another silent exchange between the two before she finally reached for the glass and sipped at the alcoholic beverage, letting the taste take over her train of thought as a distraction for the current situation.

"You know," Kaori suddenly said with a sly grin, "I have an idea..."

 **\- x -  
**

Mikoto stood idly behind Kusanagi as he activated his power by using the lighter in his hands to burn all of the Blue's that charged at them. To the King's side, Tatara's eyes were scanning a map of the underground facility in order to lead their small group of three in the right direction.

"Ahh~ Sorry boys, but we're in kind of a hurry," Kusanagi grinned at several of the Blue clansmen who were moaning in pain on the floor after receiving a flurry of fireballs produced by the bartenders power, "Any luck, Tatara?"

"Well, since we're guaranteed to find Anna in the basement level of this facility, it'd probably be best if we had someone guide us in the right direction," Tatara looked over to the elder male and grinned, "Besides, aren't you having fun? It's been a while since we've seen you fight, Izumo."

Kusanagi chuckled and turned to the men on the floor that were still alive, "Alright, then," Walking over to one of the males that looked like he might have some information, he squatted down in front of him and offered a friendly smile, "So, mind telling us how to get to the bottom of this place?"

The clansman coughed several times before passing out, much to Kusanagi's dismay. With a sigh, he stood up and ruffled his blond locks as he turned to his two companions. Before he could walk over to them, the sound of a blade being pulled from its scabbard echoed from behind him and suddenly, Kusanagi felt a sharp pain his shoulder.

"Damn," Kusanagi muttered and took the cigarette that he'd just lit, tossing it behind him and sighed as he activated his power, "What a waste. It was freshly lit, too."

Tatara watched as the man hit the ground without a sound and looked around, spotting a man leaning against the wall as he watched the three of them, "Hmm," Walking over, he kneeled down in front of him and offered him a kind smile, "I suppose telling you that I will torture you wouldn't get me anywhere, so would you mind telling us where a young girl named Anna Kushina might be?"

The man scoffed and looked away from him, causing Tatara to frown slightly, "Well, I guess I have no choice."

With a cheery smile, Tatara used his power to create a small hole beside the man's face, who made a startled sound and dove away from the spot he'd just been.

"Since our power is fire, I can create holes like these without much bleeding. I don't think you'd die right away, but I can't be certain" He grinned, "So, should I start playing, or are you going to help us?"

. . .

"You know, Izumo, I could have done a better job if you'd of let me handle things without having me almost torture that poor man," Tatara complained as he, Kusanagi and Mikoto entered a special elevator that would take them to the lower levels, "I don't like it when you pick roles for me."

Kusanagi chuckled and grinned, "It got the point across, didn't it? Besides, he told us what we needed to know before it got any further, so why complain? Getting people to talk is your specialty, even if means you have to threaten a little."

"This elevator doesn't even go all the way down," Tatara sighed dramatically, "We're going to have to find another set of key cards to use the other elevators to access different levels."

The bartender shrugged his shoulders, "It's a start. Just be prepared for anything when those doors open. Hell knows what we're going to be walking into when this thing stops."

Mikoto stared at the door and narrowed his eyes when the elevator finally came to a stop. When the doors opened, his eyes were met with enemies, but he was focused on the currently stand-in King, Shiotsu Gen.

Kusanagi had a crooked grin on his face as he stepped out of the elevator, "Sorry but, I need you two to go on ahead. I'll be fine, so just make sure Mikoto doesn't go overboard and trash the place, will ya?"

Tatara frowned, "Izumo?"

"This guy is a buddy of mine, so it's alright," Kusanagi waved his hand without looking back at his companions, "Like I said, I'll be fine."

Not at all impressed by having Tatara as his babysitter, Mikoto walked towards Kusanagi and reached for his breast pocket, snatching his box of cigarettes before pulling one out. His friend protested but sighed when he was given the same excuse Mikoto always had, catching the box as it was tossed over the man's shoulder.

Kusanagi watched as Mikoto walked passed Shiotsu without so much as a glance, leaving Tatara to follow him curiously but without a word. When they were finally out of sight, he flicked the top of his lighter open and lit the cigarette between his lips.

"I was expecting you to try and stop us, but you let Mikoto walk right passed you without so much as a glance," Kusanagi looked at the man, "Care to share your thoughts?"

"There wouldn't be a point in me trying to stop him," Shiotsu sighed.

"Well then, why not quit? I mean, not only this fight, but being a clansman. Without a King, it's pointless," Kusanagi frowned.

"It's not that simple," Shiotsu crossed his arms and frowned, "There are still civilians that need protected as this place is connected to a hospital, but that's not the main reason why we're here. Apparently, Mizuchi has found us a new King."

Kusanagi sighed, "I'm assuming that's where Anna comes into things?"

When Shiotsu nodded, Kusanagi sighed again, "You're alright with that?"

"No, I'm not."

Kusanagi watched as Shiotsu drew his sword, facing him now as an opponent rather than a man willing to discuss his differences. He understood how he felt now, and decided to save his commentary for a more appropriate time.

 **\- x -**

On the outside, the Red and Blue clansman continued to clash until finally, HOMRA had the upper hand. Kamamoto turned to ask Yata what the next step would be, when he noticed unfamiliar faces that were dressed in civilian clothing running towards them. He prepared himself, wondering if they were reinforcements for Scepter 4, but was surprised when his eyes landed on someone he recognized.

It was the strain from before when they'd come to gather information on the facility and Anna.

"Hey!" Kamamoto called him over, noticing the boy's features go from scared and confused to grinning and assured.

"So it was you guys," He said with confidence, "I didn't expect you all to show up."

Kamamoto nodded, "Are you guys escaping or leaving with permission?"

"Well, things are getting pretty bad down there, so we all decided to take the chance and get out of here while we can."

Suddenly, a large tremor coming from beneath them shook the entire building. Kamamoto's hair stood on end as he felt the raw strength of Mikoto's power begin to pulsate around them all, knowing he was down there and facing an opponent that required _special_ coaxing. It must have been pretty bad, considering Tatara was there with him to keep him from popping the cap on his power.

That gave him an adrenaline rush as he smirked and shot his fist into the air, followed by several other HOMRA members.

"No blood! No bone! No ash!"

The boy stood there confused while the men around him chanted, when a startled gasp tore through the air. Kamamoto looked over to see if it was an enemy, but was shocked to see two familiar faces running towards them.

"Hey guys!" Kaori grinned, hauling a tired (but stunned) looking Honami behind her as she kept a firm grip on her hand, "I see you boys have been having lots of fun around here."

Kamamoto's jaw dropped, "What are you both doing here?! Where are the guys that were supposed to be keeping you inside the bar?"

"Well, you see, while we were enjoying so girl time I decided that it was too boring for us to be there. So, here we are! And don't worry about them, they're all fine," She continued to grin as she briskly walked up to the chubby male, "Mind looking after Honami for me? She has an idea of what's going on, so just try to offer her some comfort."

Kamamoto frowned and opened his mouth to speak, when his eyes flickered to a group of strange men standing where Kaori and Honami had just come from. He suddenly felt tense, noticing the traditional Japanese clothing and the rabbit masks each one of them wore.

Kaori turned to see what Kamamoto was looking at and grimaced, "Ah, so they've arrived, huh?"

 **\- x -**

After many attempts, Anna had let her concentration slip from trying to reach and connect with the slates to the overbearing power that was circulating through the air at that moment. It was him, she was sure of it. Mikoto. The man she'd connected with on one occasion. He was here, and was using that beautiful red power of his. The aura itself was like an alluring presence to Anna, making her so intrigued that she couldn't help but wish to reach out to it.

As her thoughts changed from the slates to Mikoto, the marbles pulled her consciousness into the pits of his mind. He was smiling and enjoying himself as he fought against a hulking strain that wasn't backing down.

It was such a terrifying world inside of that one man, as she delved deeper into the depths of Mikoto's aura. What she could only describe as a sea of liquid fire coursed around angrily in accordance to the Kings will, threatening to unleash it's hellish fury and burn all those it touched.

To her, it was beautiful.

All the while, she was drawn to the pulsating liquid red that thrashed about angrily. It wasn't like when she would grow close to the slates and have them reject her. No, this was inviting. It welcome her. It called out to her with it's sweet, intense song.

She was abruptly pulled from her solace as she gave her head a shake to recover from the shock of being taken from her moment of enjoyment. A frown graced her lips and she instantly blocked the screams of those outside the doors being engulfed by the liquid red.

"I will become the Blue King," Anna said with a cold voice, "I will connect with the slates and become like _him_."

 _Mikoto..._

Pushing what she most desired aside, she steeled herself and forced her will to continue the attempts at connecting with the slates. However, that was cut short when the ceiling of her room suddenly cracked and began to cave in.

 **\- x -**

Mikoto was smiling the entire time that he let his power pour out from every pore in his body. His opponents were entertaining and finally a challenge. The strains that attacked him didn't back down at his display of red power, so he entertained the thought of taunting them to keep them coming back for more.

The more he released, the stronger his hunger grew to let the chains drop and let it all out.

The strain that called itself Senkouki continued to swing at him and attack in various way, only continuing to excite the King more and more. There was a split second where he looked as though he was going to receive another blow from the strain, when he parried with a block of his arm and grabbed the man, using more force than necessary to send him flying across the expanse.

"Tatara, come here," Mikoto's eyes never left the strain, "I've decided I'm tired of walking through halls. It'll be easier if I just create my own opening, so brace yourself."

"But, King!" Tatara protested as he rushed over, but it was in vain as Mikoto concentrated a mass amount of energy directed at the ground beneath his feet.

Tatara gave a startled yelp as the floor melted away like butter against Mikoto's raw power. Again, his protests died in his throat as he caught sight of Anna standing near the end of the hallway.

 _She must have come out to see what the commotion was about._ Tatara thought to himself before looking at Mikoto, "You know what, never mind. I'll scold you when we get back to the bar."

"I told you it would be easier, so don't complain," Mikoto said gruffly.

"I figured you would make it here, King of Destruction."

Both Tatara and Mikoto turned to see a tall male standing close to Anna, who was watching the two with a shocked expression.

Mikoto's eyes were narrowed but his face was void of emotion, "So, you decided to show your face."

"Do you even understand where you get that power from, Suoh?" Mizuchi chimed, "You enjoy that power of yours without a thought, swinging that flaming sword of yours around with the enjoyment of destruction and violence. I suppose it suits you though. A man who is but a mere flame to be put out in the wind."

Tatara glanced to Mikoto and grinned sheepishly, "You aren't listening to him, are you?"

"... I don't listen to nonsense."

"Figured as much."

Mizuchi watched the two and clenched his fists to the point where they shook with anger, "I will not allow you to get in the way of my research! With the help of Anna Kushina, I will find a way to help mankind evolve with the power of the slates to avoid having repeats of you, who swing their powers around without meaning and for their own gain!"

"Seems he keeps talking nonsense," Tatara pocketed his hands as he looked to Mikoto, "What will you do?"

Mikoto's eyes left the enraged male standing so close to the doll-like girl before locking onto her own. She looked torn, as she stared back at the two across from her. The two that came to save her.

"You know what you need to do, Anna," Mizuchi said with a strained voice, trying to keep a hold of the anger boiling inside of him.

It angered him even further to see such a serene look on Tatara's face that was paired with the carefree, emotionless facade of the Red King.

"Anna."

Her body froze as he spoke to her. She lifted her eyes to meet his own again, instantly regretting doing so. All of her worries and all of the promises she'd made to the man beside her threw themselves at her with a force that could have knocked her over, but there was a nagging feeling inside of her chest that pulled her towards the Red King.

"Anna," He repeated, "Come here."

Her feet moved on their own as she suddenly threw herself forward. The indignant, startled yell from Mizuchi was long forgotten as Anna ran as fast as she could towards the man coated in red, throwing herself at him as she collided with his leg. He looked down at her on impact and reached for her, steadying her for a moment before patting her head roughly.

"Don't strain yourself, kid," Mikoto sighed as he reached lower to grab the back of her dress to lift her in the air, not at all bothered by the fact his pant leg was soaked from where she'd cried against him, "Take her, Tatara."

"Oh, I get it," Mizuchi watched the exchange as the strains from the earlier fight jumped down through the hole created by Mikoto and landed in front of him, "You have such intense power that is probably the most devastating out of all the Seven, but you can't unleash it all in your fury when those you care about are around. How foolish you are. Just like your foolish predecessor, Genji Kagutsu."

Mikoto smirked at him.

With Anna wrapped securely in his arms, Tatara watched as the flames began to lick away at Mikoto's body. There were flickering around him angrily, matching the mood of the King perfectly. He gave a small smile and sighed softly, tightening his grip on the young girl who was still trembling.

"Do I even bother stopping you?"

"No."

"Fair enough."

Mikoto's smirk widened as he took several steps forward, letting his energy cackle around him and sparks spit out from under his feet, "I'll make sure there's nothing left of any of you," The flames began to surround him like a massive ball of pure energy, making it seem as though he were engulfed by the sun, "No trace of bone or ash. Say your prayers now if it soothes you."

The strains watched and prepared themselves for the attack, readying their own defenses while the self-named Senkouki watched without attempting to prepare himself. He only watched with a smile, admiring the Red Kings display of power. The more energy that coursed through the already thick air pulsated, and soon the massive ball of red moved on its own accord.

It was like its own entity, followed by the man controlling the mass as he moved like a lion. The flame roared at their release, capturing all three of its targets and effectively burning them down to the bone. Even Senkouki, who had thrown his fists against the flame in a last effort to exert his excitement, fell to the floor with a loud thud of burnt flesh.

However, Mikoto's victory was short lived as the hulk of a strain slowly began to rise back onto his feet. Amber eyes trailed to the person standing behind him, noticing Mizuchi's hand was a glowing golden color to match the aura that encased Senkouki.

"Ah, so this is your talent," Mikoto said flatly.

Not losing any momentum, Mikoto continued his attack and threw a devastating amount of energy into a kick that sent Senkouki spiraling to the floor once again. With a frown, Mikoto watched as he hauled himself up again with the same golden aura surrounding him and rushed for him once again.

The exchange went on for much longer than Mikoto would have liked, now finally beginning to lose his cool with the situation.

"You shouldn't allow yourself to get beaten so badly," Mizuchi looked at Senkouki, "There's only so much my power can do for you."

"I don't need your power," He grinned, wiping the dribbled trail of blood from his chin with the back of his hand as he stared the Red King down, "This is what I was meant to do. I'm meant to go through any opponent, no matter how powerful they are."

Mizuchi scoffed and narrowed his eyes at the man in slight disgust. He recovered quickly and looked at Mikoto, feeling a sense of pride as the strain continued to push the Red King to a limit that only another King had ever been able to achieve.

"Do you think this cruel of me? They're means to an end, Suoh. Experiments to test the boundaries of the power you King's possess," Mizuchi smirked, "You should be thanking me. Isn't that right, Anna?"

Mikoto eyed him for a moment when Senkouki chuckled, "Save the pretty talk for after. Right now, I want to fight the Red King. I'm going to _kill_ the Red King. Stay out of it."

Watching with a droll stare, Mikoto wanted to scoff at the idiocy of this man, boasting that he was going to kill him.

. . .

Anna watched the exchange with wide eyes. She'd been called out by Mizuchi again, but found that she could bring herself to lean away from the enticing red that was so closely in her grasp. That hot, red sea of liquid fire that she could see when she closed her eyes was right there. It was so bright and vivid and oh so tempting. She couldn't bring herself to look away, neither ashamed or embarrassed to the fact that she found the beast within him so beautiful.

She could feel the desire that was pent up in his mind, at killing the man he was fighting. It was the same when her mind filled with Senkouki's feelings, shivering as the ripples of pleasure flooded through her while he danced with the Red King in the joy of a fight to the end.

"Don't worry," Tatara said to her with a calm smile, "Everything will work out in the end. You'll see."

With Tatara's calm words, Anna steeled herself and watched as the magnificent red beast continued to dance around his opponent like a predator circling his prey.

Beautiful. She wouldn't hesitate to call him beautiful, even when the flaming lion inside the Red King was merely inches away from being released.

"King."

The beast faltered only slightly as Anna watched Tatara bravely place a hand on the back of Mikoto's shoulder, amazed that he could calm the King's inner self with just a touch.

"Remember who you are and what you're doing," Tatara said in a light voice, "She would be angry if you let go because of this, King."

It took a lot of concentration on Tatara's part for him to synchronize his own flames to the Red Kings as he attempted to reach him within his own inner world of lust and power. With a jolt, Mikoto inhaled a deep breath and reached up, running his fingers through his messy locks as though he'd just been woken up from a long nap. At a closer look, Anna could no longer see the beast so proudly poised in his inner consciousness. No, instead, she could see the man before her surrounded by a blanket of red.

"So pretty..." Anna murmured.

Tatara looked down at her and smiled, "I know."

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!" Mizuchi looked down at Senkouki, who had been recovering from the last attack in a moment of silence as he stared at the Red King, "You are supposed to be murderer! A strain who has killed so many others that lives to fight and kill!"

Senkouki, who cradled his injured arm, grinned and stood up shakily, "I will fight. I will continue to fight this man until the end."

Mikoto eyed him, knowing exactly what that meant.

Crossing the distance between the two, Mikoto lifted a fist to Senkouki and with a thump, landed a light hit on a point of his chest that was directly above his heart.

"No blood. No bone. No ash."

In an instant, the hulking strain was gone. His body fell to the floor in a heap after having his heart burned to nothing from within his body, leaving Mizuchi to watch with wide eyes and a shaking form.

"W-Wait," Mizuchi backed up as Mikoto took a step forward, "Don't you want to know the secrets behind that power of yours? I've done all of my research on why you as prospects for Kings and strains are born! Don't you want to know why? What about the child? Don't you want to know why she is so powerful?!"

"Just shut the fuck up, would you?" Mikoto said in annoyance.

Using his power, Mikoto lifted Mizuchi off his feet and into the air without much effort. The man struggled against the invisible source that held him above ground, pleading with King to release him.

"Yo," Kusanagi's voice sounded through the area, "We should go. The rabbits are here, so leave him for them to take care of."

Tatara looked over to Kusanagi and blinked, "Izumo?"

Mikoto also looked over and noticed his closest friends disheveled appearance and that his white button-up shirt was covered in blood, "The hell happened to you?"

"Don't ask," Kusanagi sighed, "I should be asking what the hell happened here. I thought I told you not to let him go overboard?"

A sheepish smile pulled at Tatara's lips, "Well, you see..."

"Never mind. I'll give you both hell later," Kusanagi looked over to Mikoto, "Let's go before the entire building collapses. Everyone else is outside and the other strains have already taken off."

Tatara nodded and grinned, "Yeah. We might get buried alive in here if we don't move soon."

Mikoto released his hold on Mizuchi and let him fall to the floor before turning around to walk over to Tatara and Anna, who was now standing close to his vassal watching as he approached. He looked down at her for a moment as if to ask her what she would do, when her hands suddenly reached up to grab his sleeve.

When the four finally got to the surface, a scowl made its way to Mikoto's face at the sight of a familiar woman who was patching Yata's wounded arm up, "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Kaori looked over at him, but her eyes fell on Kusanagi, "Izumo?!"

"Don't worry about me," He chuckled.

"Mikoto!" Yata jumped up, "You're all okay!"

Fushimi watched as the four of them approached, releasing a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding at the sight of a dirty, yet very safe Anna. Tatara walked over to him as the group began to walk away from the crumbling building, complimenting him on the job well done for all of the efforts that went into rescuing Anna. He explained to Fushimi what had happened and smiled, assuring him that once again, everything had worked out in the end.

Meanwhile, Mikoto walked with Anna clinging to his sleeve to his left, while holding Kaori's hand on his right in a tight grip, "I assume that Honami is nearby if you're here?"

"Yeah. She's up ahead with Rikio and the others," Kaori looked up at him, "Are you alright?"

Mikoto gave a nod as is answer but never looked at her, causing a wave of worry to build up in her stomach.

"Kamamoto!" Yata ran ahead of the small group and waved sporadically, "Look! Mikoto is back and he's got Anna with him!"

Kusanagi grinned, "Apparently we're chopped liver, Tatara."

"So it seems," The younger of the two grinned as well.

Suddenly, out from the middle of the gathered HOMRA members, Honami pushed through them and ran towards the small group. Kaori smiled as she approached while Mikoto gave a small tug forward to pull Anna into sight, easing her grip off his clothing as Honami's arms flung around the tiny girl. Everyone watched the exchange with smiles on their faces, enjoying the fact that all was well in the world once again.

All, except for Mikoto.

 **\- x -**

It was early morning when Kusanagi had woken up to find himself laying on the couch in his apartment. It confused him as to why he'd fallen asleep there, but he brushed it off once he recalled the tiny figure that would be sleeping in his bedroom beside the terrifying Red King, who she insisted sleep over with her at Kusanagi's expense. He sighed and chuckled softly, pulling himself up off the couch and made his way to the room to shower.

As the water hit him, his mind raced with all that happened just recently between meeting the strange girl in blue for the first time to her now being one of Mikoto's clansmen. There was also the fact that several of the boys were supposed to be in charge of tidying the small room that was once the storage closet to his bar for Anna to use as a room, since Mikoto and Kaori shared the only real bedroom on the second floor.

Some of what Kamamoto had found out the day before had also crossed his mind, concerning the rabbits and what had happened. Apparently when the rabbits had arrived, Kamamoto had been knocked out, along with several others in the area, including Honami. Kaori and one of the other Red clansman had been the only two to escape their hold, but they were forbidden from entering the building. The strains that had been nearby were caught, so Kusanagi wondered what would happen to them now that the Gold clan had them once again.

With a shake of his head, he brushed the thought off and quickly finished his shower and dried off. After tending to the wound on his arm, he made his way to the kitchen and pulled out his phone. The number he'd dialed rang only twice before the recipient picked up.

 _"Morningggggggg~"_

"Hey," Kusanagi grinned, "Are you on your way over?"

 _"Yes, I'm almost there actually. I have some things for Anna, too. I thought she'd like some jello and some blood red orange juice."_

Kusanagi chuckled, "Alright, well, the doors unlocked so come on in. Is Kaori with you?"

 _"No."_

With furrowed brows, Kusanagi prepared the frying pan with his free hand, "What do you mean, no?"

 _"I'll talk to you about it after,"_ He heard Tatara sigh, _"Alright, I'm here!"_

Kusanagi walked over to the spot where the alarm system's controls were situated on the wall and pressed one of the keys to let Tatara into his building before walking back over to the stove. When the younger male finally walked in, he made his way over to join Kusanagi in the kitchen and helped prepare breakfast.

"So, care to tell me why she's not here?" Kusanagi asked in a low voice, trying to keep their conversation between just the two of them.

Tatara frowned, "It's about Honami," He looked at Kusanagi, "The rabbits went and took her last night, but apparently she was back home relatively fast."

Kusanagi's brows knit together at this, "Really?"

"Mm," Tatara nodded.

"Well, lets keep this between ourselves for now. One of us can tell Mikoto after and let him decide what's going to happen," Kusanagi said before smiling, "Want to go wake them up? Anna insisted Mikoto stay the night with her so they're both in my room."

Tatara chuckled and nodded, walking passed him to go wake up HOMRA's King and princess, "We should take Anna shopping for some clothing today, too."

"I agree."

 **\- x -**

 _Mikoto would have been lying if he didn't feel the least bit guilty after having the conversation about Honami with Kusanagi earlier that day. Now, he found himself walking towards a familiar apartment complex with a tiny girl padding beside him. She was silent and gripped at his sleeve the entire time, his eyes focused on the door that would lead to the inside of her aunts apartment._

 _When the two walked up the stairs and were standing at the door, Mikoto pushed the doorbell and waited for her to answer._

 _When Honami answered the door, she gave Mikoto a pleasant smile that both confused and bothered him. Kusanagi and Tatara had been vague about what they had to say when they spoke to him about the woman in front of him, so why was she not in tears over her niece being safe?_

 _Come to think of it, she wasn't looking relieved to see Anna standing there, either. Rather, she smiled politely down to her as if she'd never seen her before._

 _"Ah, is this yours and Kaori's daughter? Or perhaps a sister?"_

 _Ah, so that's what happened._

 _Despite what he wanted to say, he bit back all of the comments and his feelings towards the situation and looked down to Anna. Sure, he'd considered the possibilities of the rabbits taking Honami to either erase or manipulate her memory into forgetting what happened, but he didn't think they would go to such lengths after Kaori had explained everything to her. For all they could have known, Honami might have been a future member of his clan._

 _Anna, however, had accepted the fact that her aunt was safe and would never be bothered again now that she had no recollection of who she was. Perhaps it was out of the selflessness that she felt when she thought of Honami, or even the fact that all those who threatened her were now eliminated... Anna could live with the fact that she was orphaned and to live with the man who saved her for the rest of her life._

 _"What's wrong?" Honami looked up at Mikoto, who was giving her a serious look._

 _"I should be asking you that," He said bluntly, "You're crying."_

 _That she was._

 _Honami inhaled a gasping breath as she choked back a sob, "I..."_

 _She was confused, that much was obvious. Mikoto watched her and didn't really know what to say, until he felt Anna's hands leave his sleeve as she walked over to Honami. He watched her awkwardly take the elder woman's hand in both of her own and looked up at her with a calm expression._

 _"It's okay..." Anna gave her a small smile, albeit strained and somewhat awkward, "You don't have to cry. It's okay."_

 _Mikoto watched the exchange silently before turning on his heel suddenly and began walking away with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He'd apologized for being a lousy student before his abrupt departure and wondered if he would ever see that woman again, figuring that now she wouldn't bother coming to the bar after having her memories altered. Not that it bothered him, since he'd threatened her countless times to stay away._

 _From behind, he could hear Anna's quick footsteps as she ran to catch up to him. He slowed down his pace for her to make it easier, walking towards the park that was near the apartment building._

 _Ironically, it was the spot where both Tatara and Kusanagi tried to convince him of Anna's possible occupancy in the upper level of the bar with him and his lovely girlfriend._

 _"Mikoto," Anna stopped and with her single call, he stopped as well, "I want it. I want Mikoto's red."_

 _He looked back at her and instantly felt uneasy, knowing that she was a very powerful, but dangerous strain. The fact that Honami's memories had been altered was proof of that, being that the rabbits didn't trust her to be in the hands of a civilian any longer. There was also the point that Mikoto came across that the Gold clan was offering him the chance to keep the child instead of her going back to them, which made his decision more difficult._

 _She would be his burden and his responsibility now._

 _"I can't always guarantee your safety."_

 _"That's fine," Anna shook her head, "I just want to be with Mikoto. I want to follow you until the very end."_

 _Her words made his unease intensify, but he sighed and brushed that aside. Pulling one of his hands from his pocket, he amber eyes watched as the flames engulfed the appendage before he looked down at the mesmerized girl._

 _"Take my hand."_

 _As he held it out to her, she grabbed it immediately and held it to her chest as though it was the most valuable thing in the world to her. A flame that was warm and inviting, and one that would never burn her._

* * *

 **SOOOOOOOOOOOO, that was a long fkn into to Anna, but it was so worth it! ;D**

 **Sorry if it seems super choppy, but like I said up at the note before the start of the story, I wasn't going to put everything and make it seem like I just copied everything. I also changed a few things around to add my own little bit of spice. There are however, some parts that I did take from the light novel that I felt were important, mostly dialogue, to the story. Of course, I worded it differently to avoid accusations. ;)**

 **Also, I decided to omit the last part about Scepter 4 after the fighting stopped and things died down. I didn't feel the need to put it in, but for those of you who are wondering, it's just a small section that explains why Scepter 4 disbanded after the incident at the Center where Anna was being held.**

 **Again, for those interested in reading the light novels, please see the tumblr user's page, "Secrets of the Slates". They have an invaluable resource for English translated material from K-Project that I think everyone should check out! :)**

 **Next update will be probably posted sometime this week. I have a butt tone of math homework to do tomorrow, or else I would have typed it up and had it posted this weekend. Like I said previously, it's going to be a bit of a depressing, sad update, so prepare yourselves! :o**

 **Anywhoo, I love you all SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much! Thank you for being patient with me and thank you all for sticking with me even after my short (and abrupt) hiatus! :'D**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	12. CH XII

**Okay, so I lied. Here's the next update earlier than expected, hehe~ :D**

 **I figured since I haven't been updating this very much and have been focusing on the Seraph of the End series that I have going, that I owed you all a second update in a row. Math homework be dammed, this is more important. ;D**

 **Plus, my insides are aching so bad that I can only sit in one spot and do sweet fuck all. What better use of my time than to type up some chapters? ;)**

 **Just to avoid confusion, the small update of Mikoto's week alone without Kaori was set _AFTER_ Anna's joining in. I should have probably waited to post it, but oh well! :D**

 **WARNING~ WARNING~ Asshole Mikoto ahead! :'o**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XII**

 **Ends and New Beginnings; Mikoto's Decision - Part I (of II)  
**

* * *

Three days had passed since Anna had become a member of HOMRA, and all the while everyone was happy she was now with them and safe and sound, Mikoto was distracted. He couldn't relax and he found himself turning into an even bigger recluse than before. Tatara had voiced his worry, but Mikoto would brush him off and disappear for hours on end to be left to his own thoughts. As the days continued to pass by, Kusanagi had even begun to worry.

Finally, by the end of the week, Tatara approached Kaori about Mikoto's strange behavior after several members had taken Anna for a day out of the bar.

"Did something happen to him?" Tatara asked with a frown, noticing Kaori had also begun to act strange.

She looked at him and smiled small, "I don't know, Tatara. I wish I did."

Kusanagi looked at her and frowned, "Did you two get into a fight about what happened?"

"No," Kaori looked at him, "He hasn't spoken to me about that day. He's just really on edge, and when he gets like this he won't even listen to me."

"Maybe he finally realized the burden that comes with being a King," Kusanagi murmured to himself, "Or, what happened when we went to go get Anna really bothered him."

Tatara agreed with Kusanagi's train of thought and looked at Kaori, "Is he upstairs?"

"Yeah, he's probably just waking up," Kaori nodded.

"Why not go up and talk to him?" Tatara gave her a reassuring smile, "He loves you, and I'm sure if he knows how worried you are, he'll finally give in and talk."

Kaori sighed, "Either that, or you go up and talk to him."

After going back and forth about who would go up to talk to the King, Kaori sauntered up the stairs to go and deal with her lover's unexplained change in mood. When she finally got to the door, she hesitated as she reached for the handle, but took a deep breath and forced herself to go inside.

This would be the only time that none of the other members would be around to hear them or interfere, so she knew she had to take advantage of the moment.

"So, they sent you here to talk to me, did they?" Mikoto asked as he dropped the towel he'd been using on his hair to dry it off, "I'm fine."

Kaori frowned and walked over to him as he was pulling a clean shirt over his head and reached to help him, but was momentarily stunned when he rudely brushed her off, "Mikoto, what's wrong?"

"Nothing that concerns you, so just go," He said in a harsh tone, "Quite frankly, I don't understand why you're still here."

Kaori felt as though she'd received a jab to her chest and her heart momentarily freeze while he continued to walk away from her, "What do you mean?"

"There's a reason why I told you to stay put," He finally turned to look at her, causing her to freeze by the cold look and the harshness of his tone, "We killed a lot people when we went to go collect the girl, and you deliberately put yourself and Honami in danger by leaving he bar."

"So, that's what this is about," Kaori crossed her arms, "She was Anna's legal guardian and had a right to be there."

"Exactly. _Was_ ," Mikoto narrowed his eyes, "And you're wrong. She didn't have a right to be there in the middle of that fucking mess. Neither did you. We had it under control, and I didn't need you to get caught in the crossfire with the Blue's or with the rabbits being there."

Kaori narrowed her eyes as well, "I knew what I was getting into when we got back together after this discussion."

Mikoto stared her down for a moment before crossing the room to stand in front of her, "I don't think you realize how dangerous that situation was and what we had to do to get to the kid. If Tatara hadn't been there, I may have caused another Kagutsu Crater."

"Are you trying to scare me, Mikoto?" Kaori looked up at him, "Look, I know that you're upset with me for not listening to you and staying put, but I couldn't help it. All of you were out there risking your lives–"

"Don't even finish that sentence," Mikoto bit back angrily, "Just don't, Kaori."

Kaori gave him a startled look and watched as he briskly passed her by and made his way to the door, slamming it open and walking out to go down to the main bar area. She inhaled sharply, hearing Tatara and Kusanagi greet him but were also cut off as she heard the front door open and then shut behind him.

Inhaling sharply, Kaori blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over. She could hear footsteps making their way up the stairs and to the door behind her, but she didn't turn around to see who it was that was now walking up to her.

"Kaori," Tatara said softly, "Are you alright?"

She gave a wry smile, "I think he blames me for this, Tatara," Finally turning to face him, she sighed softly and hugged herself.

Tatara reached for her and pulled her into a light embrace, "Don't think that way. Maybe King just has a lot on his mind."

Kaori nodded slowly and gave him a quick hug back before gently pushing him away, "Let's go get something to eat and wait for him to come home."

"Sure," Tatara gave her a smile and led her downstairs, where Kusanagi had already laid out a hot meal for the three of them to share and some tea for her.

. . .

Later that day after the others returned, Anna wandered over to Kaori after noticing a significant change in her demeanor. She frowned, looking up at the woman as she approached. When Kaori smiled down at her, Anna could see the turmoil in her eyes. It wasn't the same as when she was under that bastard Mizuchi's control, but the young strain had a good idea as to what the elder woman felt.

"Kaori," Anna reached up to take her hand gently, her eyes staring up at the brunette with a faint worrisome expression.

Kaori gripped Anna's tiny hand gently in a reassuring manner, "It's alright, I'm fine. Promise."

Anna knew that she wasn't but didn't say anything further. Instead, she chose to hop up on the couch she was sitting on to lean against Kaori, trying to offer her some form of comfort in the only way she knew how.

The gesture caused Kaori to tear up, as she wrapped her arms around the tiny girl and held her close. She watched as Anna closed her eyes and could feel her relax against her, making Kaori smile small and let out a soft sigh. The two stayed like that for a few minutes until the sound of someone clearing their throat caused Kaori to look up, seeing Mikoto staring down at her.

"Come with me," He motioned towards the stairs and started walking away, knowing Kaori would follow without further coaxing.

Kaori watched him for a moment, "Sure..." She looked down at Anna, who was now watching Mikoto as well with a frown on her face, "I'll be right back, Anna."

She stroked the doll-like girl's cheek gently before releasing her hold on her and got up to follow the Red King, feeling the same bubbling worry begin to build in her stomach again. He never called her out like this, not even when they were alone.

Once they were upstairs and behind the closed door to their bedroom, Kaori's eyes widened and her heart stopped.

Mikoto stood before her with an expression on his face like he would if he was facing an enemy, his amber eyes cold and his lips pulled down into what she could only call a scowl.

"Mikoto?" She took a step forward, but he lifted his hand to stop her.

"You're moving out," He said curtly, "I don't want you anywhere near my business anymore, nor do I want you around the bar."

Kaori stared at him with her mouth slightly agape, "W-What?!"

"You don't belong in this environment anymore, and I can't trust you to stay safe when I go off with my boys to kill a target," He said harshly, "We can't be together anymore, and I love you enough to break this off now to save you from what might happen."

Suddenly, Kaori's temper flared and she narrowed her eyes at him, "This again? Honestly, Mikoto, you know that I'm well aware that you guys have to kill sometimes."

"That's not the point," Mikoto said in an aggravated tone, "I don't want you here anymore, Kaori. _You don't belong here_. HOMRA only has room for those who are useful."

She watched him cross the room to where an already packed luggage case was sitting in the corner of the room, before he lifted it and tossed it over to her rudely.

"I'm grateful for all you've done. Really, I am. But it's time to go our separate ways," Mikoto looked her in the eye as he spoke, "You know those damn Blue dogs have a new King, so they'll be meddling in my business when HOMRA has to take out a target. I won't have you in the crossfire to be used as a hostage or to remain here as a distraction."

Kaori stared down at the bag before looking at him, noticing he was still watching her intensely. She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced as he swiftly crossed the room and brushed passed her to open the door.

"You still have a room at your mothers, so go home," Mikoto watched her.

She turned to him slowly, "You can't be serious."

"I am," He gave a nod of his head towards the hall, "You won't take no for an answer, so no more polite talk. Get out, and don't come back."

Kaori stared at him for a moment, not entirely sure if she was furious over this sudden decision Mikoto made or if she was heartbroken. She knew enough to avoid confrontation with the way he was looking at her, so she reached down to grab the suitcase and walked out without making eye contact. As she made her way down the stairs, she didn't hear his footsteps following behind her so she chose to just make a break for the door to avoid questioning. She could feel Anna's eyes on her and had to will herself to keep walking, knowing she'd break down if she looked into the girl's eyes.

Kusanagi, who was cleaning his glasses as usual, looked over with a smile until he saw the suitcase in her hands, "Kaori?" He dropped what he was holding and walked around to catch her, but she'd already slammed the door open and was gone from sight before he could even round the counter, "What the hell?"

Tatara jumped up and looked to Kusanagi, "Should I go after her?"

"Not yet," Kusanagi looked towards the stairs, "You may need to work your magic and find out what happened from the source."

 **\- x -**

"I knew he was bad for you," Kamei said with a cruel smile, "You're lucky that you're my first born and that I am forgiving mother, or else I wouldn't have let you come home. I hope you've seen the error of your ways and won't let yourself get wooed by trash anymore."

Kaori ignored her mother for the most part but nodded anyway, choosing to agree with whatever she said. She didn't think she'd be able to formulate words at that point, since her body shook lightly with suppressed sobs.

"I expect you won't be staying long?" Kamei said as she crossed her arms, "Uhie is nearing the end of her last year before she goes off to college, and once she's out, I don't expect to house her older sister."

"I won't be here long," Kaori said quietly as she set her luggage on her old bed, "I won't even bother unpacking if that's what you want."

Her mother sneered and turned away, "If you're going to sulk over that piece of shit then no, don't even bother packing. I'll help you find an apartment if that's what you want, but for the most part, I want you out on your own within the next few weeks."

Once that was said, Kamei left Kaori alone to her own devices.

She crossed the room and closed the door silently before turning and leaning against it, finally allowing the tears to stream down her face. Her knees buckled and she slowly slid down to the ground, hugging her legs close to her chest as she tried hard not to cry out loud. She wanted to avoid any more emotional damage than she'd already received from Mikoto, so the taunting looks and harsh words from her mother she knew she would receive were to be avoided.

Kaori closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, replaying the scene over and over in her head as Mikoto stared coldly down at her when he told her to get out. It hurt like nothing she'd ever experienced before. Sure, when they'd taken a break a few years ago over something similar, she'd felt extremely upset and heartbroken. But this... This was awful. It felt as though she'd left a piece of her soul back in that room above Kusanagi's bar.

Ever so slowly, she finally managed to calm herself down and took a few deep breaths before standing up and walking to the attached bathroom to take a hot shower.

It felt strange being in her old room and to have privacy again. She'd grown so used to showering either with Mikoto somewhere in their room or with him joining her, that it felt unnatural for her to be alone. With the water beating against her, she missed the way his hands would run up her sides and how he would press light kisses from her neck to her shoulder. She couldn't help but smile sadly, remembering all of the times he'd caught her against the wall and passionately embraced her or would make love to her.

There were never any words spoken between them aside from the few uttered during their intimate activities, but they had a way of knowing what the other was feeling.

Kaori stood under the water and let her tears get washed away, knowing she would miss the contact and the deep, meaningful relationship she'd built with him over the years. She knew there wouldn't be a time when she didn't think of him, but she couldn't let herself become depressed and keep replaying such torturous memories.

No, she knew that once he'd made a decision, it was final. She had to let him go, just like he had let her go.

. . .

Fushimi walked along the sidewalk in a neighborhood that reminded him of where he'd grown up, being that all of the houses were larger and a lot more fancy than what was in the middle of town. He continuously scanned the numbers on the buildings for one in particular, finally spotting it further down the road and quickly made his way to the property.

Once he was up the driveway and standing in front of the door, he bit back the awkward feeling picking at him and rung the doorbell.

It only took a few minutes before someone answered, being a middle-aged woman who looked nothing like the person he was searching for.

"Can I help you?" Her brow rose as her eyes scanned his appearance.

He knew that look her eyes and forced himself to be polite, having been brought up under the critical, scrutinizing eye of his family members and their prejudice views.

"My name is Saruhiko Fushimi. I'm looking for Kaori," He said in the most polite way he could, internally beating himself up for deciding to do this on his own.

Kamei frowned, "Ah, you're Kisa and Niki's son. Come in," She stepped aside for him and closed the door behind him, "Take your shoes off and go up the stairs. Her room is the first on the left."

Fushimi nodded and did as he was instructed, kicking his shoes off before making his way up to Kaori's room. Once he was there, he hesitated.

What was his reason for coming here again?

Did he really have any business being here, when perhaps Tatara or Kusanagi should be the ones consoling her?"

"Kaori," Fushimi knocked before he opened the door, slowly walking inside as his eyes scanned for the brunette.

When he saw her, she was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed and was typing on a laptop situated in front of her. She gave him a surprised look when she looked at him, but he knew she wasn't expecting to see him of all people.

"Saru?" Kaori shifted and got up, "What are you doing here?"

He shifted uncomfortably as she approached him, "When Misaki and I got back to the bar, Tatara told me you ran off. I..."

"Saru," She smiled small, "You were worried about me?"

He nodded stiffly, choosing to avoid making eye contact with her, "It's not a good scene over there right now, so I decided to come over and see if you were alright myself."

"No, I can't imagine it is," She said quietly as she reached one of her hands up to rub her arm gently, "Would you like some tea, or are you even going to be staying long?"

Fushimi shook his head, "No, I won't be here long. I just wanted to know that you were alright," He repeated.

His eyes flickered to the laptop, and Kaori could see curiosity in them.

"I'm looking for a job and an apartment," She looked over to the computer quickly before turning to him, "My mother wants to help me, but I don't want her knowing where I live."

"Understandable," Fushimi shifted again, "Kaori, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," She looked up at him.

When her eyes focused on him, Fushimi suddenly felt very vulnerable and very nervous. It wasn't like him to act this way, but he always seemed to react differently than to the others when it came to Kaori. He chocked it up to the mysterious connection he'd always felt being around her, so it was easy to brush to the side in most cases.

This time, however, was entirely different.

"Can I know where you move to?" He didn't look at her as he asked, "I don't want you to disappear."

Kaori watched him and slowly crossed the distance between the two, reaching up to pull him into a loose embrace. She felt him tense significantly against her, but he slowly began to relax as she rubbed his back in a soothing manner.

"You know, ever since the day you and Misaki arrived, I've always felt like you and I had a bond that was different from the rest of them," Kaori said as she smiled, "Yes, Saru, you can know where I live and you're more than welcome to stay if you need to. I'll always be there for you when you need me."

Fushimi closed his eyes and repeated her words in his head a few times before nodding slowly, "I know..."

Slowly, hesitantly, Fushimi brought his arms up to wrap around her in an awkward way to return the comforting gesture. Since he was quite a bit taller than Kaori, her head was somewhat pressed against his shoulder and by that, he could feel her smile when he moved.

"I should go," He said with a frown, releasing Kaori and stepping back from her, "None of them know I'm gone, and I wouldn't want them to come looking for you just yet."

Kaori nodded and sighed, "I expect Izumo and Tatara to come around at some point, so feel free to tell them if you'd like."

Fushimi nodded and turned around to open the door, but stopped before his hand could reach the handle, "I know this doesn't mean much, but thank you for everything."

 **\- x -**

Two weeks had passed since Kaori had left HOMRA, and slowly things were falling into a comfortable routine. She'd found a part-time job working as a waitress at a small restaurant and managed to find an apartment that she could easily afford herself. The day she moved out of her mothers, she'd left a note on her bedroom door thanking her for her hospitality, but left no number or written address for her to visit. She didn't even tell Uhie where she'd moved to, choosing only to tell Fushimi as promised and that was it.

She's quickly become accustomed to her schedule and made due with the direction her life was going, knowing deep down that things would eventually get easier.

Kaori chose to avoid making friends with her coworkers, but wasn't rude to them. Instead, she spoke to them in a friendly manner, much like she did to the customers she served. After work, she would go home and make herself some tea and read one of the many books she'd picked up at a small store catering to older, second-hand copies of new and classic titles. After supper, she would shower and then watch one of her programs on the television she'd purchased when she'd moved in and around ten o'clock, she would head for bed.

This was the routine she'd settled into, never missing a beat even on her days off.

One of her female coworkers had often tried to coax her into joining her for a coffee, but Kaori would always politely decline and tell her that she was busy. There was also the assistant manager, who happened to be a handsome young man around her age, that always offered to take her for dinner. He wasn't deterred when she would decline his offer, so Kaori finally revealed a fragment of her personal life and told him that she had just gone through a very hard breakup. He was understanding, but still persistent.

Kaori looked forward to Tuesday and Friday evenings when Fushimi would mysteriously appear at her door, always with something new to add to her apartment. Whether it was another book to add to the already growing mountain on the bookshelf she'd brought over from her room in her mother's house, or a movie that he wanted to leave behind to watch with her at the time and save for another occasion, she was always surprised with what he brought.

Often times, Fushimi would bring over a meal that was prepared for the two of them. He continuously denied it being Kusanagi's handy work, but she knew the bartenders cooking better than anyone in HOMRA, having been his guinea pig for all of the new menu items he offered at the bar. It was always conveniently one of her favorites, so she figured it out the third time Fushimi had brought a plate over.

Eventually weeks turned into months, and gradually Mikoto's face began to fade from her dreams. She often felt lonely on certain nights when she would watch something that reminded her of the Red King, but she'd created a way for her to deal with those situations as they arose. One of the first things she'd noticed was the absence of his scent on her clothing, finding that she missed the musky smell of his cologne that he wore at times or just the smell that made him, _him_. There was also something in the way that her bedding lay after she woke up that she found nostalgic, always leaving her feeling somewhat empty to find that the side of the bed was always tidy and not in a mess like when he would lay beside her.

It was little things that she found tugged at her emotionally, but she was coping. Seeing Fushimi when he would come to visit was also helping, as he would tell her how the others were doing and that she was missed greatly.

One particular day around the third month after the incident, she noticed a familiar male sitting at one of the table she'd been waiting on. One of her female coworkers had commented on how handsome he was, and how jealous she had been of Kaori to be working on that table.

Curiosity for the better of her and as she walked up, her heart fluttered in her chest when she saw the charming smile and signature purple-tinted glasses sitting on a sharp nose.

Kusanagi smiled up at her, "Hello, Kaori."

"Izumo..." Kaori felt as though the wind was knocked out of her, not having expected to have this sort of reaction after not seeing the man who had been like a brother to her for so long, "How are you?"

"Not bad, although it's been pretty boring without you around to keep the boys motivated," Kusanagi chuckled and set the paper he'd been holding down, "Are you just getting in, or can you take a break and have something to drink with me? You and I need to have a talk and catch up, considering Saruhiko is the only one that knows where you are now."

Kaori's cheek went red, "You knew about that?"

"He goes off on his own at the same time every Tuesday and Friday evening," Kusanagi grinned, "It wasn't hard to figure out. You're the only one he ever really got close to besides Misaki, so I put the pieces together myself."

She nodded slowly and looked over, noticing all of her coworkers were watching her with sly grins on their faces. The assistant manager, however, gave the back of Kusanagi's head a jealous glare.

"Go ahead and take your lunch!" Kaori looked over to her supervisor with wide eyes, "You were next on the rotation anyways."

"Ah, good," Kusanagi looked back at the woman and smiled a very charming smile, making all of the girls swoon and giggle amongst themselves.

Kaori deadpanned as she watched them before giving her head a shake, "I'll be right back with something to drink."

Kusanagi nodded and waited patiently for her to return, running through what he was going to say to her and what he was going to avoid mentioning. He wanted to tell her that Mikoto was absolutely miserable and that he wished she'd make a surprise appearance in the bar, but he figured it wouldn't do either of them any good if that happened.

They were both extremely stubborn and had pride, so throwing the two of them together would put him in the crossfire and make things worse than they already were.

When she returned, she set a mug of coffee in front of him with several creamers off to the side before sitting on the seat opposite to him, "So, do I even bother asking how you figured out I worked here?"

"Actually, I was picking a few things up the other day and thought I saw you in here," He smiled and sat back in his seat comfortably, deciding he wasn't going to tell her the truth about how he found her, "At first I thought you were here to order something, but when I saw the apron I figured I would come and pay you a visit. I knew I'd catch you here eventually if I just kept showing up."

Kaori smiled small and sighed, "I missed you."

"Trust me, we all miss you too," Kusanagi smiled back, "How have you been? I assume that you're living on your own now?"

She nodded, "I was at my mother's house for about two weeks and then I found the apartment I'm currently in ad got this job. It's not much, but at least I don't have to be under her thumb."

"Mm," He agreed, "Tatara and I were worried that you would have to stay with her, and for a while I had half a mind to go get you and move you into my apartment."

Kaori looked at him as though she wanted to cry, "Izumo..."

"Tatara wanted to come and see you too, but it's been pretty rough back at HOMRA," Kusanagi suddenly fell into a more serious expression, "I won't beat around the bush with this and tell you that we're not all entirely unaware of what went down. He's been more testy and aggressive since you've left, and the only time we see him actually doing something is when Anna forces him out of his room."

"Izumo," Kaori frowned, "With all due respect, I'd rather not talk about him–"

"I think he regret what he did," Kusanagi cut her off, hoping she'd at least hear him out for what he had to say, "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but Kaori, he's miserable."

The way her eyes hardened somewhat shocked Kusanagi, as he'd never seen that look in her eyes before, "He was the one who broke up with me, Izumo. I get that you're his friend and all, but I'd rather not talk about him like you're expecting me to go there and jump into his arms after what happened."

"I know," He let out a sigh after a moment of silence, "It was worth a shot, though. Sorry for pissing you off, it wasn't my intention. We all just want things to go back to the way they were."

Kaori watched him and sighed softly, "No, I'm sorry, Izumo. Of course you'd want to stick up for him, because you're his closest friend. I understand."

Kusanagi smiled at her and sighed as well, "On a different note, I'm glad to see you're still the beautiful girl I remember from before."

"Oh, don't start sucking up now," Kaori giggled, earning a grin from the man sitting across from her.

"I knew that could get a smile and a laugh from you," He said in a triumphant tone.

* * *

 **Well, I didn't want to take everything I had from when I posted the second part to Mikoto's chapter in Series of Fortunate Events. Mind you, I did write that part with this chapter in mind for this series, so I wrote it in a way that it could be revised if this story ever got to this point.**

 **Also, I thought it necessary that Fushimi follow after her. There hasn't been a huge reveal as to why he's so attached to Kaori yet, but there will be. :)**

 **Next chapter will be mostly what was going on in the bar after Kaori left, leading up to when he goes to her apartment to see her. For those of you who have read the chapter from Series of Fortunate Events, you'll know what's going on. For the rest of you, I hope you enjoy even though this is new to you!**

 **Part two will be added tomorrow, as it's already all typed out, it just needs a brief read-through. ;)**

 **I love you all, and hope you're having a wonderful day! :)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	13. CH XIII

**Ahhhhh, so I was on a roll~**

 **AND I LIED. HAPPY SECOND UPDATE IN A ROW. ;D**

 **Also, I think I've figured out what I want to do to start my Yata/Reina series, so I'll keep you all updated on when that will start. ;D**

 **I didn't plan on this being initially two parts, so I'm sorry if it seems like Mikoto's part is somewhat rushed! :o  
**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XIII**

 **Ends and New Beginnings; Mikoto's Decision – Part II (of II)**

* * *

Mikoto found himself laying on his back facing the ceiling for hours that night, his mind still racing over what he'd done only days ago. He could picture her face perfectly in his mind and all the while she looked a lot less angrier or hurt than he thought she would, her eyes spoke in volumes to him. He'd hurt her far worse than the first time he'd kicked her out of his life, only this time he was doubtful of any redemption further down the road when he finally decided to end his reign as King. There was always a slim chance that he could turn things around when the time came, but in his mind, he'd already told himself she was gone.

She was gone, and she wasn't coming back.

It took a while for him to realize that he had a hand gripping her pillow while he was deep in his thoughts and quickly let go before turning onto his side so his back was facing where she would have been sleeping. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply through his nose and immediately regretted it, catching her scent that was still so strong around him. Her face came to mind and quickly he reopened his eyes.

It would take some time, but he knew he would eventually get over her. There would never be another Kaori, but there would be others.

At that thought, Mikoto grimaced. He couldn't even fathom the idea of sleeping next to someone else after having been with a woman like her. The idea of another woman touching him in ways only Kaori had ever done made his stomach lurch and his heart ache. He didn't even want to entertain the idea of her being with another man, so he immediately banished all of those thoughts out of his mind to save himself the turmoil.

As more days passed by, Mikoto considered turning to alcohol at night to help him sleep, but Kusanagi refused to let him drink passed his usual limit. Maybe it was for the best, knowing that he had someone who wouldn't allow him to fall into a hollow of depression with a vice that was difficult to get rid of.

There was also Tatara, who made sure that he maintained his eating habits and often sat with him in silence in his room. There was even an afternoon that he watched his vassal clean everything that was left behind from when she left and place it neatly in a box to be taken away, but Mikoto didn't have words in his mouth to give him the affirmative answer. Instead, it was placed under the bed to be forgotten in a few months. Tatara was a little unsure about leaving her things there to torture his King, but he didn't argue.

It had been hard enough for them to watch Mikoto as the weeks went on. He seemed to be always angry at something and always cooped up in his room after coming back from a walk. Anna had ventured in several times and successfully managed to pull him out of the darkness, but right after they were finished he'd disappear once again.

Kusanagi wondered if he was returning to the shell of his former self, back when he'd first begun to experience the power inside of him after what happened to the previous Red King. He had separated himself from all of the others around him at the time and constantly seemed as though he was fighting against something inside himself. The only time the blond bartender could recall that Mikoto looked truly at ease with himself was around Tatara or Kaori, but the thought was long gone now.

"We need to do something," Tatara sighed, leaning against the counter on both of his hands, "What should we do? He's going to make himself sick if we can't figure something out."

Kusanagi shrugged and set a clean wine glass down, "All we can do is ride this out and hope for the best, Tatara. We've done all we can to prevent him from slipping further into the direction he's going, but you know what he's like. He's beyond words now, and I don't think there's anyone here or outside of HOMRA that could handle him if he were to let off some steam. Pretty sure even that new Blue King would have his hands full against Mikoto right now."

"I agree," The younger of the two nodded, "Do you know why he did it?"

An exasperated sigh ripped through Kusanagi's lips, "Same damn reason as last time, although what happened when we went after Anna really bothered him. This is just my own guess on the situation, but I think it really bothered him seeing Kaori there with all of the rabbits around. One of the reasons why he didn't want her to go was so that she wouldn't get taken, but then again, he didn't want you to go either if we're being honest."

"I know, but King needs to understand that he can't always protect us," Tatara said, ignoring how Kusanagi blinked at his unusual words.

"To think that just came out of your mouth," Kusanagi chuckled.

Tatara smiled, "I think I'm going to go look for Kaori and bring Anna to see her sometime."

"Already on it," Kusanagi motioned over to where the young girl in question was sitting, "I asked Anna to locate her so I can go and see her myself. I know Saruhiko somehow knows where she is, but he wouldn't take the bait and let it slip when I talked to him."

"He loves her," Tatara said and chuckled, "He told Misaki and me that she's like the older sister he never had, but I think he looks up to her like a parent instead."

Kusanagi nodded, "That's probably why he's guarding her whereabouts so intently."

The two looked over to Anna, who was watching several of her red marbles rotate over a map of the city. She focused on Kaori's aura and closed her eyes, trying to use her other sense to try and locate her. It had been an extremely difficult task for her to do, considering Kaori hadn't activated any of her powers after leaving HOMRA, so she couldn't use the natural feel of her aura to find her. Instead, it was like tracking down a regular citizen that she'd never seen before.

"Any luck?" Tatara asked calmly, patiently waiting for Anna to finish with her search.

After a few moment of her sitting there in deep concentration, Anna's eyes opened at the same time the marbles gathered at a particular spot on the map, "I found her."

"Good," Kusanagi set the cloth he'd been holding down and walked around the bar to go and take a look for himself, "I know exactly where she is. I'll check it out on my own tomorrow when I go to pick up some supplies for the kitchen, and if she's there I'll try and talk to her."

Anna looked up at him, "Can I come with you?"

"Sorry, but I'm afraid I'll be handling this one on my own," Kusanagi gave her a sad smile, "If everything goes good, I'll bring you when I go to meet with her a second time."

Tatara smiled, "I'll go too, that way we can all sit down and have a chat."

Off to the side, Anna felt the magnificent beast inside of Mikoto stir. He was hidden by the wall beside the stairs so the others wouldn't see him, but she knew he heard everything they said. At the mention of Kaori's name, she felt a flicker of his power that had been absent for quite some time. It made her smile, knowing that his flame was still there and wouldn't go out so easily.

"Izumo," Tatara leaned down and pointed at the spot where Anna had located Kaori, "Isn't this a restaurant?"

Kusanagi nodded, "She may have gotten a job there," He looked at Anna, "You still can't find where she's living though, can you?"

Anna shook her head, "No. For some reason, I can't locate her home."

"She might be using her powers to keep Anna's ability blocked," Kusanagi muttered to himself, bringing his hand up to run over his hair, "Either way, this is a start. I might try and convince her to come pay us a visit when he's not around."

Tatara looked at Kusanagi, "The boys would love that, considering they all miss her like crazy."

"I doubt she'll agree to it, but it's worth a shot," The older of the two smiled, "Maybe then she might tell Saruhiko that he can spill the beans and let us all know where she's staying so I can stop sending him with meals and bring her over for one instead."

"Ah, I was wondering why you were doing that," Tatara grinned.

Kusanagi chuckled, "Like I said, when I noticed he'd disappear on those specific evenings, I figured he was going to see Kaori so I decided to start cooking something for her so he could take it."

"That's thoughtful of you," Tatara smiled at Kusanagi, "She's probably feeling homesick by now."

The bartender shrugged, "I don't know. Saruhiko is a like a brick wall when it comes to talking about her, so I know he won't say anything."

"Well, it'll all work out in the end," Tatara grinned again, "I know it will."

Kusanagi and Anna both looked at the younger man and nodded, "I hope you're right."

Meanwhile, in the spot Anna had pinpointed off to the side of the bar, Mikoto leaned against the wall with his posture slouched and his eyes closed. He knew it would have been too much to ask for his clansmen to avoid talking to her, but the thought of Kusanagi going out to meet her drove him mad. There was also the fact that Saruhiko had already done so and continued to visit her, but he knew there would be at least someone who would keep in contact.

His thoughts wandered to Kaori again and he immediately wondered how she was doing. Was she sleeping alright? Was she working more than she needed to and running herself down? Was she living by herself or did she have a roommate? He also wondered if she was thinking of going back to school, having remembered that she considered it a couple of years ago when she'd gotten settled in with him.

 _Kaori._

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before walking back up the stairs as silently as he could, choosing to leave for his walk later in the evening when everyone was gone.

 **\- x -**

On one particular morning, Mikoto wandered downstairs to join the others for the first time in what seemed like ages. It had been later that day when Kusanagi had come clean to him about going to visit Kaori at her work. At first Mikoto seemed as though he didn't care, but his closest friend knew better than that and could read him like a book. It irritated the Red King to no end that his friend was going to see his ex-lover. It also put him back into his slump, with his min constantly spinning around the details of why he'd kicked her out.

 _"To keep her safe"_ is what he continuously told himself. He would keep reminding himself that it was for the best, that Kaori stay far away from his lifestyle now, what with the new Blue King mulling about.

"You need to go and see her," Kusanagi interrupted Mikoto's inner thoughts and caught the cold stare his hazel eyes were met with, "Look at me like that all you want, but you need to go and see her and make up with her."

"No."

"Mikoto," Kusanagi glared, "Don't be difficult."

Mikoto glared back, "I'm not going to see her."

"Do we really need to repeat this argument? I know it's been a few years, but I can recall everything I said to you before you stormed out of here to and meet with her," Kusanagi crossed his arms over his chest, while Tatara walked over to them and joined them.

Mikoto looked at the two and narrowed his eyes, "This is different."

"How so? I'm sure the last time you went on about leaving her for her own safety, too. Wouldn't you agree, Tatara?" Kusanagi looked at the younger man beside him as he nodded.

"He's right, King," Tatara smiled, "We've all seen how miserable you are without her, so just go and get your lady back. Talk it out with her and hear what she has to say. I know she wasn't supposed to show up at the Center that day, but you can't hold that against her forever."

Kusanagi nodded, "You forget how deeply she cares for all of your clansmen, but you also sometimes take her love for you for granted."

"King," Tatara ignored the scathing glare and walked over to him, "Please, just go and see her. Anna managed to find her address, so go. We won't even follow behind you."

Kusanagi watched as Mikoto looked the other way and muttered something under his breath, knowing he was taking a gamble on what he was about to say, "Mikoto, if you don't go, I'm sure that assistant manager that she works with will eventually ware her down and take her on a date. I've seen for myself that he's highly interested, since he always shoots me narrow-eyed looks when I go in to see her."

Tatara turned to Kusanagi with a startled expression while Mikoto slowly turned to look at Kusanagi with a furious expression in his eyes, "Excuse me?"

"What do you expect? Her to to stay single forever because of you?" Kusanagi taunted, "She's a beautiful girl with her whole life ahead of her now."

"Izumo..." Tatara frowned, but was silenced by a wave of Kusanagi's hand.

"No, Tatara, he needs to hear this," Kusanagi looked straight at Mikoto, "You can't protect her from afar anymore, Mikoto. If you're going to let her go, then you need to let her go. Stop thinking about her, stop eavesdropping when we're talking about her, everything."

"It's not that simple, Izumo," Mikoto snarled, but the bartender didn't back down.

"Well then, what's your issue?" Kusanagi glared down at him, "Think with your heart, not your head. Yes, you may have thought you were doing the right thing when you sent her packing, but you just did a whole lot of damage that I'm not sure you both could recover from if you leave this go any longer."

Not wanting to listen to anymore of Kusanagi's lecture, Mikoto pushed himself up off the couch but was roughly shoved back down by Kusanagi, who earned several loud gasps at his actions from the other members. Even Mikoto was momentarily shocked by the blond's actions, leaving him to only stare up at his friend with slightly wide eyes.

"Sit your ass down and take this like a man," Kusanagi narrowed his eyes, "You're our King, but you're also just a man."

Mikoto glared, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're too damn prideful for your own fucking good," Kusanagi glared, giving an aggravated sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair, "Honestly, how you've gotten this far is beyond me."

"Izumo," Tatara looked at him, "That's enough. Insulting King won't help anything."

He nodded and crossed his arms, "I know. I'm just extremely frustrated with the two of them."

"Oh? Did Kaori say something?" Tatara blinked.

Kusanagi looked directly at him and ignored the way Mikoto was now watching him, "She did. She wanted to come visit but because our King told her he doesn't want her around, she won't step foot in our territory anymore," Turning to the boys, Kusanagi spoke to them all as a group, "Saruhiko and I are the only two that have seen her as of lately, but she sends her love."

Yata watched Kusanagi and frowned, "What do you mean Saru and you have seen her?"

"He probably didn't want anyone to know this, but he's been going and spending time with Kaori on particular evenings," Kusanagi began, "So, I had Anna find her for me and I went to meet with her not too long ago. She's doing well but she's lonely, so I offered to meet with her every other day for a couple of hours and just talk."

Chitose, who didn't know Kaori well enough to form a real opinion, glanced at Mikoto and noticed the hard look his King had while staring intensely at Kusanagi, "Why tell all of us this?"

"You and Dewa are newer and don't know Kaori as well as the rest of us, but she's been like a mother to the other boys ever since they joined HOMRA," Tatara said with a soft look in his eyes, "Saruhiko is no exception to that. He bonded with her right from the very beginning, so that's probably why he's been sneaking off to meet her in private."

Yata looked from Kusanagi to Tatara, "Why didn't he say anything?! I mean, Rikio and I would have liked to go and see her too!"

"It's because she told him not to say a word, just like she told me not to tell you all," Kusanagi sighed, "She didn't want any of you to get in trouble for seeking her out, which inevitably would have happened because of Mikoto's extremely bad mood as of lately."

Hearing movement behind him, Kusanagi looked over his shoulder to see Mikoto had gotten up and was now walking to the door. Both Tatara and Kusanagi shared a quick look before they turned to Anna, who was watching Mikoto sadly with her hands clasped together in front of her chest.

"Hey, Mikoto," Kusanagi looked to his King, who stopped in front of the door, "You know the building. We were there before when we had to take out one of the drug dealers who had been messing around in our turf."

When Kusanagi said her address out loud, Mikoto pushed the door open and disappeared from sight.

Tatara let out a relieved sigh after the door was closed, "That could have been bad, Izumo. You're definitely a lot braver than I would have been to say what you did to his face."

"Coming from the guy who can calm Mikoto down with a simple touch or with words alone, I take that as a complement," Kusanagi grinned, "Besides, I knew I could get him to crack if I kept pressuring him. Although, I may have signed that man's death warrant back at Kaori's work by letting that little detail about him being interested in her slip."

Kamamoto, Yata and Bando stared at the two with wide eyes, "W-What?!"

"Why pressure the King to go and get Kaori when she clearly is the reason why he's so upset?" Bando said with confusion, "I mean, don't get me wrong... Kaori was great to have around, but she clearly upset him. Why bring her back?"

Kusanagi looked at Bando for a good, long moment before he opened his mouth to speak. Tatara watched the two and smiled, knowing what his friend would say while Yata, Kamamoto, Chitose and Dewa watched closely.

"You've obviously never been in love, have you, Bando?" Kusanagi smiled, "You do crazy things when your heart tells your head to do things."

Bando nodded slowly while Kamamoto smiled brightly, "So, you think King is going to smooth things over with mum?"

"I hope so," He chuckled, "Either that, or he's going to kill that man who's hitting on her."

Tatara sighed, "We'll know soon if it's on the radio that some man with red hair went berserk in that restaurant she works in."

. . .

Mikoto slowly made his way to the apartment building and stopped at the rusty gate that surrounded the property. His eyes scanned the entire area and with a sign, he slowly pushed passed the two swinging pieces to the entrance and walked towards the door.

What would he do if she wasn't home? Would he have it in him to come back again if he turned around and walked back to the bar? Probably not.

Passing through the door, which to his assumption was unlocked despite the fact it was advertised as a secured building, he walked over to the mail boxes and searched for the number to her apartment. When his eyes caught her name and her number, he walked up the stairs to the third floor and sauntered down the hallway. While he walked, the length of hall seemed to grow longer and longer with each footstep and caused a grimace to pull at his lips.

Maybe this was the guilt finally punishing him after he'd finally admitted to himself that he he made a mistake, turning this into a humiliation before he even got to the door.

 _Why did I let him get me all riled up?_ Mikoto thought bitterly to himself, considering going with his first option to go and pay the assistant manager a visit.

His decision was made for him when he unconsciously raised his fist up to knock on the door before sitting back on his heels to wait for any sign of movement. In his mind he counted down the seconds to when he would turn and walk away, but a part of him demanded that he stay put and wait for her to answer.

Sure enough, he heard shuffling on the other side of the door and with a click of the lock and a twist of the handle, the door opened to reveal a doe-eyed brunette. His amber eyes widened slightly, having expected her to be angry that he suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Maybe he wanted her to be angry with him, even upset that he showed up. He couldn't process any thoughts after his eyes met hers, and suddenly his lungs began to feel tight from the breath he'd been holding in.

"Kaori..." Mikoto stared at her like he'd never seen her before, simply taking in her appearance.

It must have been her day off, with the way the once tight shirt she wore hung loosely and those shorts she'd own since before she'd met him hugged her hips snuggly, showing off those legs he'd so desperately wanted wrapped around him at that moment in time. Her hair, albeit messy like she'd just woken up, seemed a little longer and her face was clear of the blemishes she'd been complaining about weeks leading up to their separation. He'd noticed she'd also lost some weight, but not enough to cause a significant difference health-wise.

"Anna told you where to find me, didn't she?" Kaori frowned, aiming her eyes towards his chest rather than staring into his amber orbs.

Mikoto shuffled awkwardly for a moment, realizing that it felt like before when they'd first begun to date. He didn't think that being away from her this long would make such a difference, but it was obvious he was kicking himself in ass for it.

Kaori could tell he was fighting with himself by the way his body shifted and how he couldn't keep his hands still from within his jacket pockets, "Mikoto?"

"Can I come in and talk? I'd rather not have your neighbors come out and listen to us," Mikoto looked down the longest part of the hall to the other doors and frowned.

She contemplated slamming the door in his face for a moment, as his sudden appearance made a wave of anger rush into her blood, but she chose to set that aside to hear what he had to say. A part of her was crying out to him, while the other wanted her to steel herself and prepare for the same excuses he'd given to her the previous time he'd pushed her away.

Either way, Kaori let him in and was now staring up at him after he'd kicked his boots off.

"To answer your first question, yes, Anna did find you. Kusanagi had her search the entire city for you so he could come and see you, but he told me instead so that I would come," Mikoto ran his fingers through his fiery locks, not noticing the way Kaori watched his hand with a yearning look on her face to copy his actions, "As for why I'm here, I feel like it's time I give you that apology I've been owing you."

Kaori frowned, not entirely impressed with Kusanagi at the moment but she ignored that fact so she could deal with Mikoto, "You don't owe me anything, Mikoto. Although, if you're going to spit out the same apology that you did the last time, you can save your breath. I don't want to hear about how you've suddenly changed your mind and that want me around again."

"Can I apologize first before you start yelling at me? You know I'm horrible with this shit," He asked with a curt tone, "Besides, that's not entirely true. I do owe you. You have no idea how hard it would be for me to find you dead somewhere, Kaori. I don't know what I'd be capable of if you were taken from me and I couldn't get to you, or if you were killed because of some ridiculous clan war."

Her eyes softened slightly as she sighed, "I know, Mikoto..."

"It was a lousy way for me to try and secure your safety, and I'll willingly admit that I was at fault," He looked down at her and frowned, "I'm sorry. Really, I am."

"Mikoto," She gave him a warning look, "This better not be another half-assed apology. I can't live off the false hope that this will somehow be alright any longer."

"It's not," He took a step forward and reached out to her, extremely thankful that she didn't pull away when his fingertips grazed her cheek gently, "I want you, Kaori. I _need you_ ," He watched her flinch and saw the sadness in her eyes as he spoke, "Come back to me."

Kaori took a moment to gather her scattered thoughts before placing a hand over the one he'd been touching her with, feeling extremely unnerved to see him of all people sound so insecure and desperate. She was used to his strong, assuring will and proud attitude that this had taken her off guard.

He didn't give her a chance to reply as he quickly tugged her forward and held her securely against his chest. Closing his eyes, he inhaled the sweet scent of her shampoo and let himself relax for the first time in months.

"Come back to me," He repeated in a soft tone that was very unlike the one she was used to.

Kaori pressed her forehead against his shoulder and closed her eyes, inhaling the heavy scent of cigarette that seemed permanently glued on his person and also the musky scent that was simply Mikoto. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed him until this moment, where all of the bottled up emotions threatened to come crashing down in one giant wave.

"Do you even have to ask?" Kaori smiled small.

* * *

 **So, I know I worded things different than when I put a section of this part up in Series of Fortunate Events, but I couldn't bring myself to just take that whole piece and paste it into this update. I'd rather type something brand new up than to recycle something that I've already used in a chapter, so I just tweaked a few things around. :)**

 **As I said up above, this may seem a little choppy, but it wasn't intended to be a two separate updates. I didn't want to draw it out for very long, because there's only so much moping I can have Mikoto do before it becomes unrealistic to his character, and the same goes for Kaori. But again, for those of you who have read the first series, you all know they're inseparable and get back together so it was plainly obvious. :P  
**

 **I have something a little more amusing and uplifting in mind for the next update, so I hope you guys will enjoy~ :D**

 **I love you all! :D**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	14. CH XIV

**Hey all, long time no see~ :)**

 **I've regrettably been working on one-shots for my Deviantart account because they're quicker to type up and push out, but now that I have a few minutes to breathe and actually write something, here's the next chapter to Pieces of Me! :)**

 **I must warn you that this chapter is kind of cheesy and more sappy than what I usually produce, but I felt it was necessary because of what happened between Kaori and Mikoto.**

 **Also, I figured I'd put a humerus spot in this because... Who doesn't love seeing jealous/possessive Mikoto when his woman is being hit on? ;)**

 **NOTE; kinda on the short side and not entirely edited, but what else do ya expect of me? I'm the queen of procrastination when it comes to editing. ;Db**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XIV**

 **Together At Last**

* * *

Kaori woke up that morning with a smile on her face, feeling a very familiar heat pressed against her back and strong arms wrapped around her bare waist. She slowly looked over her shoulder and noticed Mikoto was still fast asleep with his face pressed against the back of her head, making a warm feeling settle in the pits of her stomach. She felt happy and comfortable for the first time in weeks, and not at all bothered by the fact that he'd shown up to apologize and they ended up in her bed later on that evening.

Between the built up tension from her memories taunting her and his own desire that had been weld up for far too long, she knew it would have been inevitable to avoid. They were simply too tempting for one another, and made do with christening almost every surface of her apartment.

She wanted so badly to reach back and run her fingers through his hair, but at the same time, she didn't want to wake him up.

Although, she had been completely unaware that Mikoto had been awake for almost an hour at that point and was simply enjoying her being held so close to him.

"Morning," He muttered against her shoulder, pressing two long kisses to her skin before shifting so he could lean on his elbow to look down at her.

Kaori smiled and rolled onto her back to better look at him, "So you are awake. Did you sleep good?"

"Mm," He smiled small, "Best sleep I've had in a long time."

Reaching up, she touched his cheek gently, "I think I have to agree with you, kind sir."

He smirked and leaned down to kiss her, "Kind sir my ass," Nipping her jaw, he continued his way down to the nape of her neck and sighed contently, "I missed you."

"I know," She closed her eyes and ran her fingers through his hair gently, "I've missed you too. It's been too quiet in my life to be real."

"I agree," He lifted himself to look down at her again.

Kaori suddenly grinned, "I hear you've turned into quite the antisocial asshole, Mikoto."

"I assume Izumo said that?" His smirk never left his face, "Just another thing I can thank him for when I get back there."

"Oh?" She blinked, "Did something happen?"

Mikoto shifted and with the hand that he'd had laying on her stomach, laced his fingers together with one of her own and brought it up to rest beside her head, "He told the boys that he and Saruhiko were secretly meeting with you, and then he proceeded tell us all that there was a man that you work with that's highly interested in you and extremely jealous of him."

Kaori frowned, "Don't hurt him. He's harmless."

"I won't, unless he touches you," Mikoto leaned down and nuzzled the side of her face before pressing his lips to the shell of her ear, "After what happened at the club, I don't ever want to see another man touch you like that."

She shuddered from the sensations his breath against her ear and neck gave, "Mikoto."

"I can't help it," He sighed, nuzzling her neck with his nose before inhaling her scent and letting a deep, throaty, almost growl-like sound reverberate from his chest.

Kaori smiled small and used her fingers that were still laced in his red tresses to hold his head against her neck with a gentle pressure, "Mikoto?" He grunted for her to continue, "If you ever break up with me again like that, I'll have no choice but to castrate you. Do you understand?"

She felt him smirk against her skin as he chuckled, "I do."

"Good," She grinned, "Because if you didn't agree, I was going to have to hurt you."

Mikoto eased himself out of her grip and gave the hand he was holding a squeeze, "You don't have to worry about that, Kaori. I'm not going anywhere this time, and I'm not going to let you down again. You have my word on that as a King, and as your lover."

"How honorable of you to boast," She smiled up at him, "I was only teasing, Mikoto."

"I know, but I'm not," He smiled small, "I want to do right by you this time."

She felt the butterflies assault her stomach at his words, "Mikoto," Dragging her fingers through his hair, she pulled him down for a kiss before flashing him a teasing grin, "You know, you could always start sucking up by giving me a back rub every night for a year, and then maybe running me a hot bath by candle light. Oh, and there's also the fact that Izumo was sending me with food over with Saru, so those dishes need to be brought back. And then there's–"

Mikoto silenced her with a deep kiss and shifted himself so his body was on top of hers. He felt her shudder underneath him and grinned into their kiss, situating himself between her legs with his knees propping them open to prepare her.

"Don't worry, I'll do all of those things for you," He murmured in a deep voice, leaning down to kiss her neck before giving his favorite spot a little nip, "Until then, just relax and let me help you with some more of that pent up tension."

Kaori could only nod as her eyes fluttered, letting her hands wrap around his neck as he continued to pepper the skin of her neck and collar bone with kisses.

She felt a sudden jolt as his fingers brushed her most sensitive spot, giving him a curious look as it was unusual for him to use his digits for foreplay. He just gave her a lusty gaze before he claimed her lips again, earning a soft moan from the woman he was so desperately craving after such a long wait. With the swirl of his thumb on her button of nerves and his fingers doing such naughty, wonderful things to her insides, Kaori's legs began to tremble as she held onto her lover tightly.

With the way he teased her and the amount of passion he delivered in their kiss, it didn't take long for her to reach her peak. He only pulled away far enough so he could look at her with a grin, noticing the familiar flushed cheeks and glassy expression in her eyes after he'd given her much needed release.

"That was new," She giggled, looking up at him through hooded eyes.

Mikoto shrugged and, much to Kaori's embarrassment despite the wave of arousal that crashed over her, let her watch as he licked his fingers clean while giving her a very seductive look, "Is it bad that I wanted to kiss you first before we got started?"

 **\- x -**

"Well, well, well!" Kusanagi looked over as the door opened to reveal a very welcomed face back into the bar, "I thought I'd have to go looking for you both myself, but it seems Mikoto's still in one piece and no one's hurt."

Kaori giggled and thanked Mikoto for pulling her jacket off her with a gentle tug, "Well, it was you that would have caused problems, so I hold you responsible if _he-who-will-not-be-named_ goes missing."

"I only told him that so it would motivate him to go back to you faster," Kusanagi said in his defense, "Clearly it worked, seeing as how you're both here right now."

"Yeah, yeah," Kaori grinned.

Mikoto shot Kusanagi a smirk before he looked around, "Where is everyone?"

"Anna and Tatara had a feeling you two would be here today, so they took all of the boys out to give you both a moment to breathe," The bartender said with a smile.

Kaori walked over and smiled back, "Misaki and Rikio must be pretty excited."

"They are," Kusanagi chuckled, "I wouldn't be surprised if you get attacked when they all return, but from who first, I don't know. Tatara was pretty ecstatic this morning, too."

"That's okay, there's plenty of me to go around," Kaori was beaming, causing Kusanagi to watch her with a smile and Mikoto to sigh contently.

The sharp eyes of Kusanagi caught onto Mikoto and grinned, "There, that's better. It's about time you're relaxed and actually not a danger to us all."

Kaori looked at Kusanagi and then to Mikoto, "We talked about that. He promised that he wouldn't be a recluse anymore."

"I assume that you're keeping your apartment and that he'll be a semi-permanent fixture there?"

Mikoto nodded but said nothing.

A comfortable silence fell over the three of them as Kaori enjoyed a freshly brewed cup of tea while Kusanagi and Mikoto talked about what was currently going on in their territory. It wasn't until the bar door slammed open that Kaori looked over with a bright grin on her face, her eyes landing on the russet haired vanguard with his tall, silent companion in tow.

Yata's eyes went wide as they landed on Kaori, "Mum!"

Kamamoto and Bando also looked over and quickly followed Yata inside as the young boy launched himself at the woman, "You're back!"

Kaori giggled and held onto all three of them as they all got close to her, "I missed you too my hellions!"

"We're so glad you're okay!" Kamamoto said with a teary smile.

"So does this mean you and Mikoto are okay now?" Yata asked excitedly.

Kaori grinned, "That's right!"

"Hey now, I want a turn and I'm sure Anna would like one, too!" Tatara said as he crossed the room with the tiny girl in maroon following closely behind him.

Yata and Kamamoto reluctantly let Kaori go while Bando stepped aside for Tatara, who enveloped the woman in a tight hug while Anna grabbed her by her waist. Kaori felt her eyes water as the two squeezed her tightly, almost as if they never wanted to let her go.

"Oh, Anna," Kaori felt a small spot on her clothing become damp as she looked down to see the beautiful, doll-like girl teary eyed, "Don't cry."

She looked up at Kaori and smiled small, but didn't say anything. She simply hugged her once more before stepping back.

Tatara on the other hand, grinned brightly and reached up to ruffle the Red King's already unruly, messy hair, "I knew you two wouldn't stay separated for very long!"

"Heh," Mikoto swatted his hand away before walking to the counter to take a seat.

"So," Kusanagi grinned as he looked at Mikoto, "Did you have fun last night and work out all of that pent up sexual frustration and tension?"

Mikoto shot Kusanagi a short glare that told the bartender all he needed to know, making him grin wider at his King.

"I swear you two are worse than teenagers," Kusanagi sighed and shook his head before looking over to the group as they continued to surround Kaori and tell her all about the happenings while she was absent in their lives, "I'm really happy that you two are back together, though. I didn't think you'd ever come out of that angry, depressive state otherwise."

"Don't make it sound like I need her to survive or anything..." Mikoto said with a droll stare.

Kusanagi matched his stare with his own, "You may not need her to survive, but she's more important to you than you're willing to let on. Although, I think this time you learned your lesson."

With a grunt, Mikoto looked away from his friend to watch the others while Kaori giggled and grinned at their stories.

. . .

Later that day after receiving a call from her work, Mikoto walked with Kaori to her apartment to get her uniform before walking with her to the restaurant she was currently employed at. As they walked, he held her hand in a firm grip with their fingers laced together.

"Are you going to come pick me up from work?" Kaori looked up at him with a smile.

Mikoto nodded, "Yeah, I'll be there."

"I take it that you'll also be coming in to intimidate the assistant manager that I'm sure Izumo told you about?" She suddenly grinned, knowing that was exactly what he planned on doing.

He never bothered denying it, giving an indignant snort, "Obviously."

When they finally arrived, Kaori led him inside and looked around for any of her female coworkers. It wasn't busy like she'd originally thought it would be, but she only saw one other girl running around taking orders and delivering meals.

"Ah good, you're here!" Aida turned to Kaori and grinned, "Your biggest fan was just asking about you and was wondering if you were actually going to come in."

Kaori sighed, "Of course he's working today..."

"And, who might this be?" Her coworkers eyes landed on the tall King behind her.

Kaori grinned, "This is my boyfriend, Mikoto."

" _Boyfriend_?!" She went wide eyed, "I thought you had a bad breakup!"

"She did," Mikoto looked at her, "But we're back together now."

She stared up at Mikoto and felt her cheeks heat up at the stunning, intense gaze his amber orbs gave, "Oh, I see..."

Kaori smiled as she turned to Mikoto, "I should be done around supper time if you're coming back."

Mikoto grunted slightly and nodded before looking over to the doors leading into the back, where a tall male stood watching the two with an obvious jealous expression on his face.

"See, Kenji!" Aida beside Kaori grinned, "I told you she'd be here to help, but it seems she's brought a surprise with her."

The man, Kenji, smiled politely as he approached but it was obvious that the look he wanted to give the tall red head was anything but pleasant, "Hello. You must be Kaori's friend?"

"Actually, he's my boyfriend," Kaori looked up at him, "Kenji, this is Mikoto."

Kenji frowned slightly as he tried to hide his displeasure, "I thought you weren't dating for a while."

"We took a break," Mikoto said with a rough tone, his amber eyes narrowed slightly at the tall male.

Kaori looked up between the two and frowned, "Can we talk about this some other time? The customers are beginning to stare..."

"Let them argue," Aida whispered with a grin, "It's about time someone puts Kenji in his place."

A nervous laugh escaped Kaori's mouth, "Yeah... About that..." She looked up to Mikoto and touched his arms gently, "Remember what Izumo said. You don't want to start anything here, Mikoto."

"So you're the guy that broke Kaori's heart?" Kenji eyed Mikoto up and down before sneering, "What she's doing with a guy like you is beyond me."

Kaori felt Mikoto shift and frowned, noticing that his body was now turned around to fully face the assistant manager and his amber eyes were narrowed dangerously.

"I don't give a damn what you think," Mikoto said in a very oddly calm voice, although Kaori knew better than to ignore the dangerous undertone that only someone that knew the King very well could pick up, "I suggest you learn to admire from afar, because I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon."

Kenji snorted, "As if that threat would scare me off. Kaori, seriously, why him?"

"Uh..." She looked at Aida for help but frowned when she grinned and waved at her to go off and tend to the few customers in the restaurant, "Kenji, you're just going to have to understand that Mikoto is–"

"I wish you'd stop saying _Mikoto_ , because isn't that a girl's name? It's hard to take him seriously when all I can picture is him wearing a skirt."

Kaori's eyes slowly crept up to Mikoto's face, noticing he was fighting against himself at this point. She noted that he more than likely restrained himself so he didn't have a lawsuit on his hands for lamb-basting Kenji into the next century.

What surprised Kaori the most out of all of this, was when Mikoto leaned down towards her with his eyes still on the male in front of him to whisper in her ear.

"Do you need this job? I'll pay for that apartment of yours, Kaori."

She frowned up at him but sighed when she saw the grin pull at Kenji's face, "No, I don't need it. I only have three shifts a week and the hours aren't increasing."

"Good," Mikoto straightened up, "I'll be back before the end of your shift."

He shot Kenji a warning glance before turning to walk out the door, leaving Kaori and Kenji standing there in silence until Aida finally walked up with a sly grin on her face.

"Wow, Kaori! He's pretty fierce, isn't he?"

Kaori looked at her and giggled uneasily, "You don't even know the half of it..."

"He looks like he's all talk and no bite," Kenji smirked, "Did you see how he walked out of here? I bet I scared him off."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Kaori sighed as she pulled Aida by the hand to walk passed the boastful assistant manager.

Kenji watched them and followed behind the two, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that he's not someone you should be threatening to lightly," Kaori looked over her shoulder to give him a meaningful look, "If I told you who he really is, I'm sure you'd think twice about insulting him."

Aida grinned brightly, "Ooouu, what does he do for a job, Kaori?!"

Kaori didn't answer her until they slipped into the back through the swinging double doors and walked over to to where her apron was hung on one of the many hooks.

"You know that man with the purple-tinted glasses that comes in to see me?" Kaori looked at her as she tied the white material around her waist, "He works for Mikoto and is his number two."

"Is your boy-toy like, a gang leader or something?" Aida's eyes were sparkling at this point.

Kenji hung off to the side with a scowl pulling at his lips, wondering just what he was going to be dealing with if he wanted to make Kaori see reason.

"Hmm, I suppose you could call him that," Kaori blinked and paused for a moment, "He's the leader of HOMRA."

Aida's jaw dropped, "No way... Seriously?!"

"You're fucking with us," Kenji looked at her, "A man that dangerous wouldn't be dating a sweet, caring girl like you. He'd want someone more durable and thicker skinned to handle his lifestyle."

Kaori looked at him and smiled beautifully, "Oh, I can assure you that he's the real deal. His full name is Mikoto Suoh, and the man that comes to see me is Izumo Kusanagi, who owns the bar HOMRA."

"Wow!" Aida beamed, "That's so cool! How in the hell did you snag such an amazing, powerful boyfriend, Kaori!"

She giggled and shrugged, "I went to the same school as the two of them, and that's where I met them. Mikoto and I have been together ever since we were sixteen."

"Dude, you have to hook me up! You can't hog all of those bad boys all to yourself," Aida grabbed her arm and gave her the best puppy-eyed look she could muster, "Pleaseeeee~"

Kaori blinked and grinned sheepishly, "Sorry, but I think all of the boys that are in your age-range are taken."

"Boo..." Aida instantly deflated.

Kenji watched the two as he tried to recover from the information he'd just learned, "Kaori, how could you date someone like him?! Don't you know that he's probably killed before?!"

"Oh, I know all about that," She smiled at Kenji, "I actually like being involved in the affairs of the _gang_ , but he keeps me out of harms way when it comes to the dangerous bits."

The tall male gave his head a shake as he listened to her in disbelief, "Kaori, listen to yourself..."

"I'm sorry, Kenji. Really, I am... But Mikoto is and always will be a major part of me life," Kaori walked towards the door and offered him one more smile, "He's the love of my life, and I will always choose him."

* * *

 **I'm so proud of Mikoto in this chapter... -sniffs while dabbing eyes with a kleenex-**

 **Anywhoo, sorry for the long wait and also, sorry that it's a little on the short side! I tried to type something out that would be longer, but it just didn't flow right with what was happening.**

 **Aside from that, I'm going to be (finally) doing the introduction to Reina and Yata's miniseries soon as I'm done all of my upgrades to start university this September (AWWEEE YEAH)! I decided that although the chapters won't be super lengthy, I'll be having a more humerus side to their story line. ;)**

 **As always, I love you all so very, very much! This series is probably going to be coming to a close soon, as I only intended on having it run up until it caught up to Series of Fortunate Events, but I haven't decided when the final chapter will be.**

 **As for future stuffs with this series, I'm very (impatiently) waiting for the new K series about all of the seven Kings to start before I put together something else! I figured I would focus on finishing my Owari no Seraph story, and then work on the Reina/Yata miniseries along with a couple of requests I've gotten in the last couple of months.**

 **Let's not forget about that pretty little list of goodies I have planned for this year as follow-ups for our darling characters here in HOMRA! Those are coming out soon, too! ;)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	15. CH XV

**Hey guys! :)**

 **So, I guess you could say that this one of the last few to this mini series, although I guess I can't classify it as that anymore since we're almost to twenty chapters. ;D**

 **I decided that after all of the heavy shit Mikoto and Kaori went through, that we would have a bit of fun with all of the members of HOMRA. Bare with me, as I usually avoid situations like these in real life, so I had to think of dirty, mean tricks that my friends would have pulled on others LOOL**

 **Also, just so you guys know that even though I haven't been posting responses to your reviews, I still read each and every one of them! I'll most likely start posting them again once we get down to the last two or three chapters so I can share in the joy of a lovely ending/beginning~**

 **... Also-also...**

 **I AM DONE MY UPGRADES. WOOOOOOOOOOO~ So you know what that means?! Updates! Updates, everywhere! :D :D :D  
**

 **So to celebrate, this chapter is dedicated to each and every one of you! :D**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XV**

 **A Day Full of Events – Kaori's Revenge on HOMRA**

* * *

"Izumo."

"Yes, Kaori?"

"Where the hell is everyone?"

Kusanagi turned to look at Kaori when she'd landed on the main floor from the stairs and almost dropped the glass he was holding.

"... What happened to you?"

"I don't know," Kaori huffed angrily with her hands on her hips, "That's what I'd like to know!"

There she stood, barely five foot five and wearing a tiny pair of shorts that Kusanagi assumed barely covered the roundness of her bottom, and a muscle shirt that was form fitting and quite revealing to her bust size. However, that wasn't what caught the bartenders eyes.

It was the doodles she had covering her bare flesh that drew his attention.

That, and the fact her hair had been manipulated in a way that only a circus clown would have perfected.

"Don't. You. Dare. Laugh," Kaori warned him dangerously.

Kusanagi stood there in shock for a moment before setting the cloth and glass in his hands down on the counter before rounding the bar to go over to her, "... There wasn't a note left behind or anything?"

"Oh, there was," She held it out to him.

Kusanagi accepted it from her and quickly scanned it, "Oh, I see. So I wonder if you should go after the boys, or grab Tatara first..."

"They're all going to get their asses kicked when I get my hands on them!" Kaori crossed her arms in haughty manner, "Mikoto is going to get double that since he was with me the entire night and let this happen!"

A chuckle escaped Kusanagi's lips as he casually strolled around Kaori to observe their handy work, only stopping when he ever so cautiously spared a glance at her bottom. Barely seen unless one was looking for it, there was what looked like a smiling face with an evil grin with a pair of initials written beneath it. Below that, was a lightly scribbled _'I left a little surprise for you on your lower stomach'_.

"Yeah, I'd say Mikoto let them have at it," Kusanagi chuckled again and motioned to the skin just below her cheek, "He drew something on you, too. He also left a little note that I don't care to repeat, although I'd recommend checking yourself before you bathe."

Kaori was furious at this point, "I'm going to destroy them if I can't get this off!"

"Want me to run a bath for you?" Kusanagi grinned, walking around her to face her once more.

"No, I'm going to go and scrub this off in the shower," Kaori suddenly sighed, "Hopefully I can untangle this mess that they've left in my hair."

"Here," He smiled and stepped closer to her, motioning for her to sit down on one of the stools, "It's the least I can do."

Kaori gave him a grateful smile before sitting down and closing her eyes, trying to think of other things while Kusanagi tried to be as gentle as possible while he pulled apart all of the brunette tangles.

"You know, when it's just the two of us, I always wonder how someone so gentle managed to become the best friend of such a brutal man," Kaori said softly, "You or Tatara, I just don't get it."

Kusanagi continued his work with a smile on his face, "Let's just say that I saw something in Mikoto that I think a lot of people overlook when they meet him for the first time, although I used to think he was just a punk kid that had a bad attitude. I think it's safe to say that Tatara was on the same wavelength as I was when it came to meeting him for the first time."

"This is true," She giggled.

"It would be the same for you," He grinned, "You were just this cute little angel that was constantly picked on, but you got sucked into Mikoto's world just like the rest of us."

Kaori smiled fondly at the very first memories she had of Mikoto, "Yeah, but I'd say it was all worth it."

"Mm," Kusanagi nodded in agreement, "Ah, there we go my dear, you're all tangle free."

Blinking, Kaori reached up and ran her fingers through her hair to find that he'd somehow managed to rid her locks of all the snags that had been put in there.

"You're a miracle worker, Izumo," Kaori sighed in relief, "Thank you so much."

Kusanagi chuckled and shrugged, "All in a days work. Now go and shower so that you can get back down here so we can discuss what will happen to all of those involved in vandalizing you."

"You're too good to me," Kaori grinned as she hopped off the stool, "For the sake of their lives, this better come off."

The bartender chuckled as she disappeared up the stairs to go bathe. Meanwhile, Kusanagi prepared a few things for her return before checking his phone, noticing that he had one missed call and four text messages from the boys.

"Well, well, well," He grinned, dialing the number and holding his phone to his ear as he waited for them to pick up.

One the second ring, Tatara's cheery voice echoed into his ear, _"Hey Izumo! What's up?"_

"I should be the one asking all of you that," Kusanagi chuckled, "Kaori's furious."

 _"I told them not to do it,"_ Tatara sighed, _"I'm not even sure who it was that convinced King to let everyone do that, but I can find out easy enough."_

"Nah, don't worry about it. Kaori and I talked and she's grouping all of you together," Kusanagi's lips pulled into a grin when Tatara gave an indignant sound of protest, "You were here last night and knew what was going on, so that makes you guilty too, Tatara."

 _"That's so not fair!"_

"Tough shit," Another chuckle, "So, where are you guys anyways?"

 _"King got a tip from one of the guys that knows Chitose and we ended up finding that drug dealer that lived outside of Shizume. As you can imagine, King made quick work of him."_

"You mean Mikoto actually got his hands dirty? That's new, considering he usually lets one of the other boys handle the majority of the beating until the last minute," Kusanagi seemed surprised at this, "Or is this his version of a guilty conscious?"

 _"Not sure,"_ Tatara chuckled, _"Want me to hand him the phone?"_

"Sure," Kusanagi picked up one of his polished glasses for inspection while he waited for the shuffling to end on the other line.

 _"So, is she pissed or that an understatement?"_

"Well, hello to you too, Mikoto," Kusanagi grinned, "And yes, she's rather furious. I'd suggest you all steer clear for another couple of hours, or at least until I can coax her to drink a couple more glasses and have her jolly and chipper for when you all return."

 _"I figured she'd be upset, but by the sounds of it you make it seem like she's out for blood."_

"Pretty sure that's what I meant to say," Kusanagi chuckled, "So, why did you let the boys doodle all over her? She looked like she was drawn on by a bunch of toddlers."

 _"Let's just say that they made me a deal,"_ Mikoto said easily, _"I made sure they weren't using permanent marker, so it'll come off easy enough."_

Kusanagi smirked, "About that," He set down the glass and leaned onto the counter with his free hand, "I saw that lovely piece you drew just under her ass."

 _"That's pretty naughty of you Izumo, even if you are a good friend,"_ Mikoto sounded like he was almost teasing the bartender, but he knew it was because the Red King didn't see him as a threat even beyond friendship.

"I couldn't help it. Besides, I knew when I saw that, that it must have been you," Kusanagi chuckled.

 _"Fair enough and yes, I couldn't help myself. Blame Misaki for that one."_

"Ahh, so Yata's the mastermind, is he?" Kusanagi grinned, "You should make sure to mention that when Kaori's kicking your ass."

He could hear Mikoto chuckle slightly, _"I'm ready for her, don't you worry, Izumo."_

"Oh, I figured you would be considering you had a hand in this whole thing," Kusanagi chuckled and sighed, "I managed to untangle her hair, so whoever came up with that idea is probably going to get her foot up their ass."

 _"I had absolutely no hand in that,"_ Mikoto defended, _"It was Akagi, Dewa and Chitose."_

"Well, they're probably going to die today," Kusanagi said plainly, but there was a grin pulling at his lips again.

Kusanagi heard Mikoto grunt before he spoke about what they were doing and who they were going after next. The two exchanged a few more words before the King hung up, leaving his second in command standing against his bar with a smile.

About half an hour later, Kaori walked down the stairs with a more serene expression on her face and her skin free of all the doodles that she'd woken up with. Kusanagi looked over to her as she approached the bar top and blinked when she grinned.

"Should I ask what's got you so happy?" Kusanagi chuckled, "Considering you were out for blood before you went upstairs."

Kaori waved her hand to dismiss him, "Oh, that? I'm over it."

"... Uh huh," Kusanagi's brow rose while his lips pulled into a grin, "I would believe you, if I didn't know how evil you really are under that smiling, cutesy exterior."

"Oh, Izumo! My heart," Kaori feigned hurt, "You believe me to have ill-will towards the boys?"

"Yes."

"Fine, but just sit back and watch."

Kusanagi chuckled and nodded, "As long as my bar remains in one piece when this is all done, feel free to do whatever you feel you need to in order to get your revenge on them all."

"I knew you'd be understanding," Kaori grinned and winked.

"Oh, by the way, Tatara called earlier while you were in the shower. He didn't do anything to you, but I told him that he wouldn't be safe because he didn't stop them," Kusanagi leaned forward on folded arms against the counter top, "I got to speak to Mikoto, too. Apparently it was Yata that was the ring leader, and that they'd offered Mikoto a deal in order to do this. He promised that he had nothing to do with your hair though, so I'll stick with him on that one."

Kaori's brow rose, "Who knotted my hair up then?"

"Akagi, Dewa and Chitose," Kusanagi grinned, knowing she was going to kick their asses once those particular three walked through the door.

Her chocolate eyes narrowed while she brought her fist up, "I'm going to kill those three! It's bad enough I got drawn all over, but no one messes with my hair!"

Kusanagi chuckled and shook his head, "I didn't think I'd ever hear you sound like a real woman, Kaori. That has to be the most feminine thing you'd said in front of me since we've known each other."

"It's true!" She frowned as she reached up to tousle her dark locks, "My hair is about the only part of me that I actually take care of, so I'm very protective of it!"

He grinned, "Considering your hair almost reaches your ass, yes, I'd say you've got no choice but to take care of it."

"Damn right," She pouted, "I can't believe they did that."

"Me too," Kusanagi stood up, "Makes me wonder what they offered Mikoto in order to do that."

Kaori watched him, "Yeah, no kidding!"

The two pondered over what the boys could have brought to Mikoto as a bribe in order to execute their devilish plans, when the door to the bar opened up to reveal a tired looking Eric. Kaori and Kusanagi both turned to him and watched closely, noticing the others were following behind him and entering the bar in a more defensive manner.

Kaori couldn't help but smirk, noticing all of the HOMRA members froze as soon as their eyes landed on her.

"Welcome home, boys," She said in a cheery voice, although when Mikoto walked in with Tatara and Anna on his heels, he wasn't convinced by his lover's display.

Yata caught her eyes and immediately he put on a nervous grin, "H-hi mum!"

"Hello, _Misaki_ ," Kaori walked over to him with a beautiful smile, making everyone's blood freeze as she reached up and pat his head gently, "You look nervous."

The young vanguard felt his heart stop while the others continued to inch backwards and away from the terrifyingly calm and friendly Red Queen, "Well, I..."

Meanwhile, Mikoto made his way over to the bar with Tatara and Anna before he looked over while Kusanagi leaned towards him.

"She's taking this extremely well."

"She's also getting ready to pounce, so don't let this fool you."

"You think it's going to get messy?"

"You may not want to film this, Tatara."

"Why not?! This could be a great addition to the memories we've already collected!"

"I won't let you tape her murdering anyone, no matter how tempting it is."

"I agree with Tatara."

"Mikoto... I'm pretty sure once she's done with them, you're next."

"I already told you I'm ready for her."

"She's crafty. I'm sure she'll wait until you drop your guard."

"She'll be waiting a long time for that."

"King, don't make things worse..."

"I'll ride this out for a little while longer, and then we'll see what happens."

"Don't forget she's also going to be going after you too, Tatara."

"... Oh yeah, I almost forgot... Well, we should probably start running, Anna."

"Anna did something, too?"

"No, she was asleep, but she probably shouldn't be here to watch Kaori beat everyone up."

"Pretty sure Anna already knows what's going to happen, so it doesn't matter at this point."

"This still doesn't settle the fact that she's going to kick your asses."

"King already has a plan to save himself, so really she should go after him first."

"I'm pretty sure she's pissed enough to avoid letting you touch her."

"I don't need to touch her in order to calm her down. I have other ways."

"You're not stripping naked in front of everyone to distract her, Mikoto."

"I didn't realize that was an option, but thanks for the suggestion."

"... Guys."

" _OW_!"

All eyes landed on Kaori, who was standing in the middle of all of the HOMRA boys with each laying on the floor somewhat incapacitated aside from the three who had messed with her hair. Off to the side, Yata looked worse for wear with an unconscious Kamamoto laying upside down. Not far from the two, was Eric and Fujishima, who were haphazardly laying on the floor.

What was odd to the three watching from the counter, was the multicolored paint splattered all over their bodies.

"... Is that what I think it is?" Kusanagi's eyes narrowed at the small gun she held behind her back, "How the hell did she hide a paintball gun from me when she came downstairs?"

"No kidding! We didn't even hear it go off, but then again, you did say she was crafty," Tatara chuckled, watching as Dewa hit the floor in attempts to hide from the smiling brunette's colorful fury despite it being in vain.

Next was Akagi, who was a good sport and took his punishment while Chitose took the opportunity to run out of the bar.

"Coward!" Kaori called out, "Get back here!"

From behind, she could hear snickering and what sounded like hushed voices so when she whirled around on her heel, she watched as Tatara stood there looking like a deer in headlights with a smirking Mikoto standing nearby.

"I wouldn't be smirking if I were you," Kaori propped one hand on her hip while holding the paintball gun in the other, "You're in shit too, Mikoto."

"Bring it," Mikoto taunted.

Tatara looked at the Red King with a sheepish grin, "King... I thought we already discussed not taunting her."

"Don't worry Tatara," Kaori cut in with a bright smile, "You're off the hook. I know you didn't stop them, but you didn't have a hand in vandalizing me."

Tatara blinked while Kusanagi stared at Kaori, "I thought he was going to get it too, since he was involved in all of this."

"Oh, he was originally going to get his arse kicked, but I've decided to focus on the coward and my smug boyfriend," Kaori pointed out.

"I don't know if I should be happy about that, or worried that she's going to strike when I least expect it," Tatara chuckled uneasily.

Mikoto shrugged as he walked towards Kaori, "She's harmless either way, so I wouldn't worry–" He smirked as he ducked to narrowly avoid her fist aimed for his face, "Nice try, but you have to do better than that."

"Did you think I wouldn't see that naughty little note you left for me?" Kaori swung again but was caught by Mikoto, who quickly disarmed her, tossing the paintball gun aside before scooping her up into his arms, "Mikoto!"

He grinned down at her, ignoring Kusanagi's remark about how the King fibbed about taming his lover without touching her, "Yes?"

"This isn't over!" Kaori cried, struggling to untangle his grip around her legs as he headed for the stairs.

"Oh, it is."

From his spot at the bar, Tatara blinked and tilted his head, "I wonder what she's talking about."

"You mean about the note he'd left for her eyes only?" Kusanagi chuckled, "She said it was naughty, so who knows. We all know Mikoto's hormones are always on overdrive with her."

"That's true," Tatara nodded.

. . .

Later on that day once things had finally settled down, Kusanagi ordered the boys to clean up the bar while Kaori and Tatara finished supper. It had been decided earlier on that the bar wouldn't open to the public for the evening in order to enjoy a peaceful meal together now.

"Tatara," Kaori finished chopping up the vegetables to toss in the pot her companion was currently filling with broth, "Where has Saru been?"

Tatara looked over to her and blinked, "You know, that's a good question. He hasn't been here all day, and come to think of it, I don't remember seeing him yesterday either."

"He didn't come to see me this week like he normally does, so I was just curious," Kaori said softly, "I wonder if he's alright..."

"I'm sure he's fine," Tatara smiled at her, "He'll come around eventually. I mean, you seem to know him better than the rest of us aside from Misaki, so maybe he just needed a little time to himself."

She nodded slowly and returned his smile, "You're right. I guess I just worry about him going off on his own, that's all."

Tatara nodded in agreement, "Well, let's finish this and then we can ask Misaki after supper."

Kaori looked at him and grinned, "Look at you, trying to brush the subject."

"It's called trying to alleviate the tension," Tatara winked, "Something I've learned over the years."

With a giggle, Kaori rolled her eyes and continued with what she was doing while Tatara stirred the contents of their vegetable soup.

Meanwhile, everyone outside of the kitchen was putting together a few of the tables in the middle of the floor to create one massive seating arrangement. While several of the boys worked on that, Kusanagi pulled the Red King off to the side for a moment and looked at him.

"About Aido Kiyaatsu," Kusanagi dug into the carton hidden away in his breast pocket and produced two cigarettes, sticking one between his lips before offering the King one, "He's apparently had his sentence reduced and will be getting out sometime soon."

Mikoto accepted it before flicking his fingers to light both sticks, "Is that right? Well, it won't do us any good if we can't find the bastard."

"Agreed," Kusanagi sighed, "I'll keep digging, but the best I could do was coax that much information out of one of the lower men on the totem poll."

"If you manage to find someone who has a direct connection to him, do what you need to do in order to get to him," Mikoto looked at his friend, "If we're lucky, when he find him we'll get him and all of his men at the same time."

Kusanagi nodded, "If we find him first, do you want me to act for you or wait?"

"I'll be the one to give the final blow, but do what you want to the others," Was all Mikoto said before he turned to walk passed Kusasagi.

"There's another issue you should know about."

With a raised brow, Mikoto looked at Kusanagi, "What is it?"

"It's about Saruhiko," He began.

"I'm already aware of the fact that he's considering crossing over to the Blue's," Mikoto said, "Whether he does it or not is his own choice, but after what you'd told me when you returned from meeting that cheeky fucking Blue King, I figured he would change his mind."

"I wouldn't give up on the kid just yet, but I figured you should know in case Kaori asks."

Mikoto remained silent for a moment as he nodded to Kusanagi's words, "If it comes to that, there won't be any use hiding it from her. I don't imagine Misaki taking Saruhiko's leaving well, so she'll most likely catch on to what's happening on her own if she doesn't already know."

"So, do you want me to keep an eye on him until we know what he's up to?"

The King shook his head, "No. The kid's smart enough that he'd know if you were keeping tabs on him. Just go along like nothing's happening and eventually, whether it be you, Kaori or Tatara, he'll slip and one of you will catch him."

"For everyone's sake, I hope it's not Misaki that deals with that little slip," Kusanagi said with a sigh as he ran his fingers through his messy locks.

* * *

 **Well, well, well~ So, what's up with Fushimi? :o**

 **Everyone already knows, but I plan on having at least one more moment between Kaori and our young Saru, as well as Yata.**

 **For those of you who don't know what happens between Fushimi and Munakata from the manga, I'll summarize it for you: when Kusanagi is called to go in to see Munakata after he takes the throne in SCEPTER 4, Fushimi goes along with him. When they get there Munakata greets them pretty much at the door and see's Fushimi taking off all of his hidden weapons, so when they actually get into the office to discuss the twins ( _the same twins from the Anna incident_ ), he remarks about a hidden weapon user being a card he'd like to have in his hand. **

**So basically, he's tempting Fushimi to join him. I don't want to go into too much detail in case some of you are reading the manga right now, especially in "Lost Small World" featuring Yata and Fushimi before and during their stay with HOMRA, but that was just a basic outline of what happens. :)**

 **Also, I've decided that I'll be ending this series on chapter twenty, for five more to go! That way I can finish the little projects I have set aside right now, and finally work on some requests. My OnS story will also be wrapping up shortly, so that's also exciting news~ :)**

 **Anywhoo, I took a nasty tumble off my horse today and hurt my lower back pretty bad, so I'll be home for the next couple of days doing the big fuck all and will hopefully be able to sit for long enough to type some things out!  
**

 **I love you all so very much, lovelies! ^^**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	16. CH XVI

**Hello guys, and please let me apologize for the long wait! I've been so busy with preparing for school and with helping prepare for end of season horse shows... Ugh, it's just been hectic. Almost too damn much, I tell ya!**

 **So, due to the fact that I'm extremely busy, there will be two (MAYBE three) more chapters instead of five. This is one of the last, and the other I will have written up shortly.**

 **I just want to give a huge thanks to those of you who have stuck around! I love you all! :'D**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XVI**

 **When the Time Comes**

 **Kamei, the Bane of Mikoto's Existence and Fushimi's Decision**

* * *

"Tell me again why I have to do this?"

Kaori looked at Fushimi and smiled at him, "We haven't spent any time together in several days, so this is my way of dragging you away from all of the curious eyes and ears so that I can talk to you."

"So, bringing me to a park is your way of securing our privacy?" Fushimi's brow rose.

She grinned at him and nodded, not releasing the arm she had her own looped around, "That's right! It was either that, or you come with me to dinner tonight at my mother's house. Although, I know Mikoto would be happier than ever if he could pawn his invitation off on someone else, so we won't bring that up."

"I have to agree with him," Fushimi frowned, "I'd rather not go to your mother's house, either. Not after what you've told me and what I've seen for myself."

"Yeahhh, I don't blame you," Kaori sighed softly, "But enough about me. Let's talk about you and what you've been up to."

Fushimi frowned at this, "I haven't been up to anything."

"Saru," Kaori looked at him, noticing the way his gaze immediately shifted, "You can talk to me."

He nodded slowly, "I know."

"Well then, why not tell me what you've been up to?" She repeated.

Fushimi inhaled slowly as he looked ahead of where they were walking, "I've had a lot on my mind, is all."

"Oh?"

He nodded, "It's nothing to be worried about."

"Are you sure?" Kaori frowned, "You've been distancing yourself from everyone, and it's beginning to make everyone question things."

Fushimi turned to look at her for a moment in contemplation before inhaling deeply. It hadn't even been a day since Kusanagi had given him a similar pep talk, but he knew he'd much rather bring this up to Kaori than _that mans_ second in command.

"The Blue King," Fushimi paused for a moment before continuing, "He's been contacting me for a couple weeks now."

Kaori nodded slowly and motioned for him to sit down on the bench they'd just walked up to, "I know," She caught the narrow-eyed look he gave her and she decided to return it with a small smile, "In all honesty, I think you'd be more suited to working with the Blue King."

"What?" Her words caught him slightly off guard and caused him to somewhat tumble onto the bench, "What do you mean by that?"

"It's hard for me to watch you during the days that you're actually at the bar, sitting off to the side by yourself watching everyone with a bored expression on your face," Kaori admitted, "You look miserable."

Fushimi's brows furrowed, "So you think I should go to the Blue's because of that?"

"You would be more suited to Scepter 4's work," She looked him directly in the eyes, "You have incredible computer skills, and you're extremely talented at hacking. Not to mention you're a hidden weapon user, so you could almost single-handedly take on any mission the Blue King would give you on your own."

"So, you're telling me to betray HOMRA and go to the Blue's?"

Kaori giggled, "Not betray, granted I'm sure it would look like that for the first little while."

Fushimi couldn't help but frown at this, "You're being awful chipper about the idea of me leaving," His brows furrowed more as he looked away from her, "Why?"

"I don't want you to be unhappy anymore," She sighed softly, "I know Misaki will take it the hardest, as well as Izumo because of the similarities you both share but, Saru, it's not worth it if this isn't the life you want."

"..." Fushimi closed his eyes, "... Why can't the others be understanding like you?"

Kaori smiled and leaned back against the bench, "You told me once that you thought of me as a mother figure, so if that's what you need, that's what I'll be."

"And you would be alright with me leaving?" He asked her almost hesitantly.

Kaori looked at him and nodded, "I would, but only if you left with a good conscious and would keep in touch."

"Really?" Fushimi's eyes narrowed slightly, "But, why?"

"Do you really think I would try to talk you out of something like this?" Kaori frowned, "You're obviously interested enough to think his proposal over, and I know you well enough to know that Reisi Munakata has piqued your curiosity."

Fushimi looked at Kaori and noticed that she meant every word she said, "Thank you..."

"No need to thank me," Kaori reached up and pat the top of his head, "I only have one more request."

He nodded to her to continue and noticed her expression darken slightly.

"Don't tell me when you leave," She looked forward and focused on nothing in particular, "Tatara and Izumo will know something is up if I show any signs of knowing what's going on, and so will Mikoto. You know that. They'll see right through me, so it's best kept to yourself when you decide to make your move."

Fushimi nodded again and looked forward as well, "Alright."

. . .

"Good, you're back," Mikoto waltzed over to Kaori as soon as she and Fushimi returned to the bar and gave her an annoyed glare, "Your mother wouldn't stop calling."

Kaori blinked and took the phone that was shoved into her hands, "Did she say what she wanted?"

"You think I would answer that?" Mikoto grumbled, "Fuck no. She'd probably come through the fucking phone and strangle me."

Fushimi watched the two before silently excusing himself to go and join Kusanagi at the counter, leaving Kaori to stare up at Mikoto who seemed to become more and more annoyed as the minutes passed by.

"Well, maybe she–" Kaori began to reply when the phone began to ring once again, "Hold on."

Mikoto's eyebrow twitched as he watched her answer the call before lifting the phone to her ear.

"Thank you for calling the bar HOMRA, this is Kaori speaking," Kaori tried to sound pleasant, although it was beyond any reason Mikoto could comprehend after what Kamei had put her daughter through.

 _"It's about damn time you answer your phone,"_ Came the angry reply, _"Dinner is cancelled tonight."_

Kaori blinked at the aggressive tone her mother used and tried to keep the relief out of her voice, "Oh? Why is that?"

 _"I don't think I need to explain myself to you,"_ Kamei snapped.

"Mum," Kaori sighed softly, "I wish you wouldn't get so angry with me."

 _"Don't talk down to me like a child."_

"I'm not," Kaori frowned.

 _"By the way, you missed your sisters graduation. She of course, graduated with top grades and was allowed to finish school earlier than the rest of her class."_

This surprised Kaori, "I'm sorry for that, but no one told me Uhie was graduating a year early."

She heard a scoff from the other end and bit back another sigh, _"Useless as always. You could have taken the initiative and called."_

"That's uncalled for, mother. Besides, you told me not to contact Uhie, so how would I have known to call?" Kaori's frown deepened, "If you have nothing decent to say, please don't call to insult me."

Mikoto, who had been quietly standing beside his lover while she was on the phone, gave her a pointed look that was more a warning than anything. He knew how upset Kamei's words made Kaori, even if she continuously denied it.

 _"I'll reschedule the supper to this weekend,"_ Kamei suddenly said, although Kaori could tell it was strained, _"I expect you to be here."_

"Without Mikoto, I assume?" Kaori sighed, knowing the two together in the same room were like oil and water.

There was a scoff, followed by a few moments of silence, _"If he cleans himself up and dresses appropriately, I suppose I can accept his company for a couple of hours. I plan to invite my ex-husbands parents over, so dress formally. Make your_ boyfriend _dress in a suit and tie._ _"_

Kaori was about to reply when the line cut off, followed by the dead-tone ring after a call has been dropped, "... Well, that was fun."

"What does she want this time?" Mikoto narrowed his eyes at the phone in her hand.

"Well," Kaori looked at him and smiled, "No dinner tonight, but we have a formal one this weekend."

Mikoto's face twisted into a mild form of disgust, while Kusanagi and Tatara both grinned at the thought of their King dressed in a suit and tie.

"Fuck that," Mikoto said grumpily as he walked away from her to go sit at his spot on the leather sofa, "I'm not putting a monkey suit on just to please your mother."

Kaori followed and grinned, "Mikoto..."

His amber eyes followed her as she casually walked to him, lowering herself down on his lap with her legs on either sides of his hips. It was with the same innocent smile on her lips as she had whenever Mikoto knew whatever she was about to say or request was going to cause him stress that she flashed him, making red flags go off in Mikoto's head.

"No."

Kaori didn't falter, "It's just for a couple hours," She leaned against him with her arms wrapped around his shoulders and sighed contently, "Besides, I've always wanted to see you in a suit. Something a little more fitting up-top so I can see some definition."

Mikoto tried his hardest to ignore the way her fingers were lightly running up and down his chest as he inhaled sharply, "I'm not falling for it. Not this time."

"Oh, but Mikoto~" Her voice dropped a few octaves, and suddenly she was using the same tone she used when they were in their bedroom, "Just think of how handsome you'll look, and how jealous everyone will be once they see you. That," She leaned in closer as she brushed her nose against the side of his face, "and imagine how angry you'll make my mother when you show her up."

The rational part of Mikoto's brain told him to ignore her, and just keep repeating that Kaori was trying to manipulate him into an unfavorable situation.

However, the part of his brain that won the battle almost every time, loved the way his lover pressed herself against him in such a promising way. It made him tingle, and his self-control waver.

"Kaori..." He ground out as he flexed and clenched his fists to avoid touching her, "It's not working."

She flashed him a smirk and shifted her hips, "Is that so?"

Mikoto's eyes sharply met her own, "You're playing a dangerous game, Kaori."

"So, if I wanted to win this game, what would it take?" Kaori tilted her head.

Kusanagi, Tatara and Fushimi, who had been silently watching the exchange, took that as their hint to leave before seeing things they knew would scar them. Tatara quickly slipped off the stool he'd been occupying and took Fushimi by the arm, easily pulling the younger male without resistance towards the kitchen, followed closely by the bartender.

When Kaori glanced over to see that they were alone, she smirked and locked eyes with Mikoto.

"You know I never ask you to do things like this unless I have reason," Kaori stroked the back of his neck gently with her fingertips, "Please, just humor me. It'll only be for a few hours."

Mikoto's fingertips dug into her hips as he finally took hold of her, "What's in it for me?"

"Bragging rights? The fact that you proved to my mother that you're capable of being even more dashing than you already are?" Kaori offered with a grin, "Or is it something a little more physical that you're looking for?"

"You know the way to my heart."

Kaori giggled and sighed softly, "Sometimes I wonder if that's all that's on your mind."

"No," He reached up to capture her chin between his index finger and thumb, "It's not all that I think about, and you know that."

"I know," She smiled, "I'm only teasing."

Mikoto leaned forward and kissed her gently before pulling away with a sigh, "If you really want me to go with you in a penguin suit, I will. Just don't expect me to smile and be polite in the meantime."

Kaori ran her fingers through his hair, "If you're going to be miserable, I won't force you to do this. Then again, you won't offer considering who we're going to see, so I should take you up on this offer while you're still willing."

"Heh," Mikoto suddenly grinned.

Kaori hardly had a moment to blink her eyes before she found herself on her back with the frighteningly handsome Red King hovering over her.

"On the subject of willing offers," He hummed, "I think I'll take you up on this one, although we may have to move upstairs to avoid Izumo's customers getting a birds-eye view of what's mine."

Kaori rolled her eyes and grinned, "I knew it."

"Hey, you were the one that came and crawled up on my lap," Mikoto said with a snort, "I was the innocent bystander that was minding my own business."

"Oh yes, because I'm the deviant that steals your innocence," Kaori shot back.

Mikoto smirked, "No innocence here, love."

 **\- x -**

Kusanagi hummed to himself as he continued polishing his row of wine glasses during the quiet evening. All of the HOMRA boys were currently out doing their own thing on their rare day off, and the troublesome twosome were out doing whatever it was they were doing. Even Anna, who was usually a permanent fixture on the leather sofa situated beside Tatara's jukebox, was out and about with said busybody.

It was also the evening that Kaori and Mikoto were out for dinner with her family, so Kusanagi had the bar all to himself for the first time in what felt like years.

Unfortunately, his peace and quiet was abruptly cut off when the door to the bar suddenly slammed open, revealing a very wild looking Yata as he came running in with an urgent expression on his face.

"Yata?" Kusanagi's brow rose.

"It's Saru!" Yata ran over to the bar and almost leaped over the counter towards the bartender, "He's left us to go to the Blue's!"

Kusanagi's eyes widened, "What?"

"He said that he didn't want to deal with chasing thugs and gang bangers anymore," Yata spat angrily, "Said that the Blue King offered him a good position that will better use his talents. I can't believe that fucker would do something like this!"

Remaining silent for a few moments, Kusanagi crossed his arms and closed his eyes. He stood there motionless, contemplating on whether to call Mikoto and Kaori, but wondered if involving them would cause a scene. It didn't help that once the others discovered Fushimi defected to the Blue's, they would have a very nasty fight on their hands.

"What are we going to do?"

Kusanagi looked at Yata, "I don't know, Yata. I wasn't expecting Saruhiko to do something like this. Just the other day he as helping me with my orders and didn't show any signs of his intentions."

"Saru was always good at hiding how he felt," Came another angry reply, "He hardly ever talked to me anymore, so maybe I shouldn't have ignored the signs. I just thought he needed space..."

"You can't blame yourself for this, Yata," Kusanagi sighed, "If anyone's to have the finger pointed at them, then this was probably my fault."

Yata looked at Kusanagi with a stunned expression, "How was it your fault?"

"I brought Saruhiko with me when I went to go and speak with the Blue King about the twins. Munakata made it clear that he was interested in having someone with his talents join Scepter 4, both in computer skills and as a hidden weapons user," He ran his fingers through his golden locks as he braced his other hand against the counter to lean against it, "I think that's what started this whole thing, and now I'm the one who is going to have to explain this whole mess to Mikoto."

"But, he wouldn't just ditch us because that Blue King said some nice shit to him!" Yata frowned, "I'll tell them. I was the one who let him walk away."

"We can stand here and argue about this, but either way it isn't going to be pretty when everyone returns," Kusanagi looked at him, "Although, I am curious to see how Kaori will react. I don't want to assume anything, but I think he was her favorite for the fact that he only ever opened up to her."

The russet haired boy nodded slowly, "Yeah. He really liked mum... He confided in her."

"I wonder... Could it be that she may have been aware of what was going on?" Kusanagi asked, although it was more to himself than to Yata.

"You think mum knew about this and wouldn't tell us?" Yata asked incredulously, "She wouldn't hide something like that!"

Kusanagi looked at him and frowned, "I didn't say that, Yata. Calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down?!" He glared at the bartender as his fist clenched in front of his face, "Do you know what that bastard did? He burned the HOMRA insignia off his chest! He betrayed us, and you're telling me to calm down?!"

Narrowing his eyes at the younger male, Kusanagi chose not to say anything else knowing the young vanguard had pushed himself to his boiling point. Reasoning with him now would be pointless, even after he'd almost coaxed Yata to relax by letting him vent.

Kusanagi's eyes wandered to the front door as it opened, revealing a smiling Tatara, followed by Anna and Kamamoto, who was carrying several bags of food with him. At closer inspection, he could also see Bando, Dewa, Chitose, and the new guy Akagi, following closely behind as well.

"Hey guys!" Tatara was grinning over to the two, oblivious as to why Yata was so angry, "We stopped by the sweet shop on our way back here and picked up some snacks. I think we even found something that Saruhiko won't say no to, too!"

At the mention of Fushimi's name, the air in the bar became tense and each set of eyes landed on a growling Yata.

"Don't..." His fists closed into tight balls as his nails dug into the skin of his palm, "Don't _ever_ mention that name in front of me again!"

Tatara faltered slightly as Yata angrily brushed passed him to grab his skateboard and left the bar, leaving behind several confused members with a frustrated Kusanagi to deal with.

"Yata, wait!" Kamamoto looked back from the door to Kusanagi, "What the hell happened? Did they get into a fight?"

Kusanagi shook his head, "Not exactly. It's a little more complicated than that."

"How so?" Tatara frowned.

Anna, who had been standing beside Tatara with her hand gripping the bottom of his jacket, looked at Kusanagi before frowning, "Izumo?"

"Everyone just come in and sit down," He sighed deeply and straightened up, "We're going to wait for the boss and Kaori to come back before I tell you all what happened. I'd rather say it once than repeat it."

Doing as they were told, each of the boys quickly busied themselves while Tatara and Anna made their way over to the counter. Tatara lifted Anna up onto one of the stools while he sat himself down on the other beside her, his eyes not leaving Kusanagi's strained expression.

"Is it bad?"

Kusanagi nodded, "Yep."

. . .

"So tell me," An older male, who was one of Kaori's relatives from her stepfathers side, looked right at Mikoto after they sat down in the living room for idle chit chat, "What do you do for a living?"

Kaori paled slightly while Mikoto tensed and took a drawn out sip of his drink, "I guess you could say I'm the boss of a shared business."

"Oh? What kind of business?"

It was clear that Kamei hadn't gotten to the man yet, so Mikoto wondered how he should tread when the woman in question could interrupt their conversation and put in her two sense.

"I run a place called HOMRA," Mikoto eyed each face in the room with them, noticing all eyes were on him now, "It's a bar on the other side of Shizume City. A good friend of mine owns the place, but I run things. You could say he's my business partner."

The man nodded, "I see. Well, I suppose that's a respectable business to have. Not like there will ever be a shortage of drunkards or younger people who like to tango on the darker side of things, right?"

Mikoto's brow rose as he nodded his reply, not entirely sure how to answer the man.

Kaori smiled small and pat Mikoto's arm gently, opening her mouth to speak when her aunt cut her off with a snobbish remark.

"Kamei tells me you're a gang leader," She said in a snippy tone, "Are you saying my sister lied about your occupation?"

Mikoto's eyes shot to her as he narrowed them slightly, "No, she didn't, although I'm no gang leader."

"Can we please not talk about this anymore?" Kaori cut in, "Mum did a great job of putting Mikoto down to the majority of you and yet here you are, having a nice conversation with him until we bring this up. Can we just get back to what we were discussing earlier?"

Her aunt quickly looked at her, appalled that her niece would date interrupt her, "Kaori Watari. You know better than to use that tone with me."

"I asked politely," Kaori glared slightly.

Suddenly, a hand from out of nowhere slapped the back of Kaori's head as she yelped and shot forward, "Don't you dare disrespect your aunt like that."

Mikoto sharply looked at Kamei, feeling his temper boiling and the flames from within begging to be released. All he could think of was how _dare_ she lay a hand on Kaori like that, and in front of her family no doubt.

"I apologize for her behavior," Kamei sat down opposite to them across the room and shot Mikoto a glare meant to cut right through him, "Ever since she's been with _him_ , she's become a lot more disobedient and ill mannered."

"Clearly," The aunt said, eyeing Kaori and Mikoto for a moment before turning to her sister.

"On the subject of that, I think it's time for us to go," Kaori muttered as she stood up, "Thank you for dinner, mother. It was a treat, as always," Sending a look towards her grand father and grand mother, who had just sat down in her seat, she smiled small, "It was nice seeing you two again."

Kamei eyed her carefully before waving a dismissing hand towards her, "Fine. Go, and take the trash out while you're at it."

Mikoto stood up as Kamei and her sister snickered and laughed at her words while Kaori took his hand and walked towards the door. They both could hear whispered comments as they slipped their shoes on, and as they walked out the door a derogatory comment towards Kaori that had Mikoto nearly spinning on his heel to march back inside.

Once the two were outside and down the path leading towards the sidewalks, Mikoto released Kaori's hand only to slip off his suit coat to place it over her bare shoulders. She thanked him, but could tell that the finale of their evening with her family still bothered him.

"Forget about it," Kaori smiled up at him as she took his hand again and pulled him forward, "The nights over and we made it through the dinner without any carnage. Grampy seemed to like you, and you seemed to get along fine with him until my aunt cut in."

Mikoto gripped her hand firmly and slipped his other into his trouser pocket to retrieve his carton of cigarettes, "He wasn't so bad, even though I'm very well aware that he was being polite because you were there."

"Well, never mind them. It's over now," Kaori watched him as she hugged his arm loosely with her free hand, "Thank you, though..."

He gave her a grunt as a reply, flicking his package open to pop out a much needed fix before lifting it to his lips. Kaori's eyes followed his movement as she reached up, flicking her fingers in front of him to light the end.

"Thanks," He muttered, taking a long drag of a very much needed nicotine fix.

She smiled up at him and sighed contently, "You know, despite having to sit with my mother and her family this evening, it ended up being a beautiful night out. There's not a cloud in the sky and the temperature's perfect."

"Mm," He nodded in agreement, "Almost seems like a waste to go back to the bar so soon, doesn't it?"

Kaori giggled, "Well, I would suggest taking the long way home, but I didn't wear favorable shoes this evening."

"Want me to carry you?"

"Nah, I'll be good until we get to the bar."

"You sure?" His brow rose, "Or are you embarrassed when I carry you in public?"

"Ehh... Sometimes," Kaori admitted with a grin, "Though, I guess right now wouldn't count because there's no one else around."

"Exactly," Mikoto suddenly grinned and pulled her close, slipping his other arm under the backs of her knees before easily lifting her up against his chest, "Better?"

"I should know better than to argue with you by now," Kaori giggled and sighed in defeat, "But yes, much better, thank you."

From Kaori's old house to the bar was just over half an hour to walk on a direct route, so Mikoto chose to take a more lengthy way to spend more time with his lover. Those who walked by the two eyed him curiously, though he didn't mind one bit. He was more than comfortable carrying Kaori around, and every so often looking down at her with a loving expression flickering in his amber orbs.

It was moments like these that were rare, so he treasured them for as long as he could to preserve them.

. . .

"Ah good, you're back," Kusanagi looked over as Mikoto walked in, "Is everything alright?"

His eyes were on Kaori, who had fallen into a light sleep during their walk back to HOMRA. She'd been so comfortable in his hold that listening to the sound of his heartbeat paired with the light sway the hold in his arms gave, she couldn't resist sleep's lulling temptation for very long.

"She fell asleep about ten minutes ago," Mikoto looked down at her with a small smile, "I'll go put her in bed and then come back down and have a drink. You look like you could use one too."

Kusanagi nodded, watching as his King walked with long strides to the stairs before disappearing out of sight. Within ten minutes he was back down, dressed in something more comfortable and with his carton of cigarettes in his hand.

"So tell me, what's got you so stressed?" Mikoto slid onto one of the bar stools with a freshly lit cigarette between his lips and watched his friend prepare two drinks.

Kusanagi remained silent as he placed a napkin down in front of Mikoto before setting his drink down on top of it, "Saruhiko left us for the Blue's."

"Excuse me?" Mikoto narrowed his eyes.

There was brief pause before Kusanagi sighed heavily, explaining what had happened when he'd gone with Fushimi to discuss the fate of the twins with Reisi Munakata. He also explained what Yata had told him, telling him what the young vanguard had said and what his own thoughts on the matter were. Despite knowing how sensitive bringing the last point was, Kusanagi also told Mikoto about how he suspected Kaori might have known that Fushimi was planning to do something, but left it open for speculation.

"Look, I'm not pointing fingers but we have to take everything into consideration," Kusanagi said slowly.

Mikoto gripped the glass he held and began to rotate it, making the liquid inside slosh around along with the motion of his spinning, "If she knows, I doubt she'll say anything. As for Misaki, let him cool his head and keep him busy. I'm not worried about him. He's a good kid and he'll figure things out."

"What do you want us to do about Saruhiko?"

"He's with the Blue's now, so there's nothing we can do," Mikoto grunted, "If we see him during one of our fights, then we treat him like one of them. He's the enemy now, Izumo. I don't want any of my clan members treating him like he's still one of us. If we fight him, we aim to win as always and kill if need be."

With a grim nod, Kusanagi nodded and sighed again, "Damn it, I had such high hopes for that kid, too."

"I know. So did Kaori," Mikoto agreed.

"Speaking of her, are you going to tell her?"

"Tomorrow when everyone is out on patrol," Mikoto looked at him, "We'll sit her down and explain what happened."

Kusanagi crossed his arms, "Involving me in this, are you?"

"Would you rather I lie?"

"No."

"Then tomorrow, we'll sit her down and tell her what happened. If your suspicions are correct and she did in fact know what was happening, you or I will be able to pick up on it instantly."

The bartender looked at his King and nodded, "Fine."

* * *

 **Woooo, one down, one (or two) more to go!**

 **Awww, Fushimi's gone. :(**

 **Well, we knew his leaving HOMRA was going to happen, because it happens in the anime and I follow the original plot to an extent. If I'd of left Fushimi in HOMRA, it would have been an absolute disaster, considering in my two other stories, he's a member of Scepter 4, and this is the compilation of moments leading up to the beginning of the first chapter of "Series of Fortunate Events". :)**

 **So yeah, it had to be done!**

 **As for Mikoto and seemingly no-reaction response to Fushimi leaving, I figured since we never really knew how he felt about what happened in the anime, I would do my own interpretation. I feel like it wouldn't bother him nearly as much as it would some of the others, but he'd be very resentful to some aspect. I mean, considering Fushimi was an active member on HOMRA up until a certain point, not to mention his personal skills, Mikoto probably felt somewhat betrayed but wouldn't say anything or let on that he was.**

 **I dunno, this is just my thought process. It may have been stated in one of the side novels how he really felt, but I haven't gotten to it yet. :')**

 **As always, I love you all SOOOOOOOOOOOO very much! You've all stuck with me for such a long time, and now we're finally at the end. Next chapter will be my big thank you to all of you, so stay tuned! ;)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	17. CH XVII

**Well, this is it! We've made it, even though I strung the last couple of updates out until last minute but I thank you all for sticking it out with me!**

 **Halloween Witch – Glad to know that you enjoy the interactions between Fushimi and Kaori so much! I always felt like he really needed someone to be his anchor and couldn't help myself. She's just such a maternal character that really bonded with him, that I couldn't just let him leave without Kaori being the one person he could and would turn to. As for Kamei, yeah, she's a bitch but she's what shaped Kaori into the person she is now. If she hadn't of been such a cow to Kaori her entire life, Kaori may not have met Mikoto! :o**

 **As always, I'll have a longer note at the bottom of this update for all of you lovely people! :)**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XVII**

 **Where it All Began**

* * *

 _"You knew, didn't you?"_

 _Kaori turned to look at Mikoto as he closed the door behind him upon entering their shared room. She could see in his eyes that he wasn't accusing her of anything, but at the same time she felt guilt creep up her spine for not mentioning the fact that Fushimi planned on leaving and left her with the burden of keeping her involvement from the others._

 _"Well?" He didn't sound angry with her, but she could tell he was disappointed._

 _With a deep breath, she turned and sank down so she was sitting on the edge of the bed and looked at him, "Saruhiko told me he was being contacted by the Blue King, and that he was considering his offer."_

 _"But you knew he was leaving, didn't you?" He repeated, crossing over to her before sinking down onto his knees in front of her, "Why didn't you tell me?"_

 _Kaori frowned and reached over to stroke his cheek gently, "I didn't feel it was my place, but he chose to open up to me a few days ago and tell me everything."_

 _"I take it that's the day you disappeared for a while to go run some errands with him?"_

 _She nodded, "I brought him with me to talk to him, but it was only to find out why he'd been so distant lately. I didn't expect him to tell me anything about the Blue King."_

 _Mikoto sighed and closed his eyes, lifting his hand to place over her own before standing up as he began to pace, "You didn't try to stop him?"_

 _"It wasn't my place," She insisted with a frown, "I'm well aware that you all know he's very close to me, but that doesn't mean that if he's unhappy it's my job to convince him otherwise."_

 _With a sharp turn, Mikoto's eyes met her own, "So what you're saying Kaori, is that you encouraged him to leave?"_

 _When Kaori didn't answer him, he grunted and ran his fingers through his hair out of frustration._

 _"Kaori..."_

 _"Please don't get mad with me," Kaori stood up and walked towards him, but didn't go near enough to touch him, "I did what I thought was right, and what I thought was best for everyone. I know Misaki will be unhappy, but I will explain what happened. This is on me."_

 _Mikoto looked at her and frowned, "Why do you always do this?" He sighed and walked over, reaching both hands up to lock his fingers around her shoulders, "Take on burdens that aren't your own."_

 _"He trusts me," Kaori looked up at Mikoto, "That boy needs someone he can trust, and I won't disappoint him like so many others have."_

 _He watched her for a moment before pulling her to him, not knowing whether to chuckle at her over-caring attitude for someone who just abandoned his former clan, or to happy that she didn't try to hide the truth from him despite knowing he would see right through her._

 _"Give him a few days before you sit him down," Mikoto whispered to her, knowing she was aware that he was talking about Yata, "Izumo said he's not in his right mind at the moment."_

 _Kaori nodded and pressed her head into his chest, "I will."_

 **\- x -**

Two days had passed since Fushimi's departure from HOMRA was announced to all of the members, which of course caused an uproar. Kaori, who fought against Mikoto for the right to speak about the situation, was the one who satiated all of the angered members and offered them some form of an answer as to why he'd done it. Of course, she left out all of the important pieces that only Mikoto knew, but Kusanagi was suspicious.

He watched the King's ever changing expressions hidden deep in his amber pools that so closely watched Kaori as she comforted all of the boys, knowing something was off with his closest friend.

There was also Tatara, who instantly knew Kaori wasn't telling them everything she knew, but he figured she had reason for it. It would be a conversation he would save for when the two were alone and away from prying eyes and ears.

"So then..." Kamamoto's eyes narrowed slightly from behind his dark lenses, "How do we treat him now that he's with the Blue's?"

"He's the fucking enemy, dumb ass," Yata spat angrily, "He betrayed us, so we kill him if we attack the Blue's. Simple as that."

Kamamoto didn't look convinced, giving Yata a sympathetic look in consideration due to this being about the boy who was his best friend, "Yata..."

"Don't even bother," Chitose said while crossing his arms, "He's right. That piece of shit betrayed us."

Mikoto's eyes shot to Kaori, who's face was impressively impassive and gave away nothing of how she truly felt at that moment.

He knew that if things had of been different back when they'd found and taken in the teenagers... Say, if they had of been much younger, Kaori would have taken the obsidian haired, glasses clad boy as her own child. Maybe then she could have taught Fushimi that there were other ways to life than what he felt there was, but that was left for the should-haves and would-haves that had to be pushed aside.

Mikoto was well aware of how Kaori felt for Fushimi, and it both aggravated and endeared him.

"Guys," Kaori frowned, "Let's all calm down for a minute and think rationally."

Yata turned angrily towards Kaori, "Calm down?! Mum, he fucking left us for an enemy clan!"

"Misaki," Kusanagi narrowed his eyes while Mikoto shot Yata a warning look, "Don't take this out on her. She's trying to keep the peace."

Yata inhaled sharply, not noticing the way his King and his second were watching him, as Kaori walked across the room and suddenly grabbed him. He tensed considerably for a moment but all at the same time, deflated and slumped against her form as if he'd been defeated. He trembled slightly against her, but fought with all his might to keep his emotions at bay.

Kaori held him close as she rubbed his back soothingly, "It's okay to be angry, Misaki, but it's not okay to let it consume you. If you keep this up, you're never going to get past this. What happens then?"

Yata remained silent as he stared at the floor behind Kaori, not moving in her hold and simply listening to her words as if they were white noise. All he could process was that he was receiving comfort from the one person who meant the world to his closest friend; the very same friend that betrayed him and left him for the enemy.

Instead of throwing Kaori to the ground as he'd done in his head, Yata lifted his arms to wrap around her waist and leaned down, resting his forehead against her shoulder.

It was one of the only instances any of the Red Clan could recall, that the infamous Yatagarasu, let loose and cried his heart out.

. . .

"Can I get you to help me with my order tomorrow, Kaori? Tatara's busy with Anna so I'm in a bit of a jam," Kusanagi asked as the woman in question walked down the stairs and into the main bar area, "That is, if you're not busy."

Kaori looked at him and smiled, "Not at all. What do you need me to do?"

"Just take inventory of everything in the kitchen while I take the stock of all my liquor," He said as he returned her smile, "If you can convince Mikoto to help you, I'm sure it would be to your advantage to use his height."

With a sly grin, Kaori's eyes lifted to the top of the stairs, "He's currently indisposed right now, but when he comes downstairs, send him in to see him."

Kusanagi deadpanned, "Do I even ask?"

"You told me once before to keep the happenings of my relationship _inside the bedroom_ to myself, so no, I wouldn't ask if I were you," Kaori said in an innocent tone.

"You two are worse that a pair of teenagers," He chuckled, "I do have to ask though, did you at least enjoy yourself?"

"Well, duh!"

Waving her off with a smirk, Kusanagi chuckled as she disappeared into the kitchen after snatching a pen and pad of paper laid on the counter top.

He had been about ten minutes into his counting when Mikoto sauntered down the stairs, to which Kusanagi directed him into the kitchen.

"Try to keep it in your pants," He shot Mikoto a warning look with a tight smirk, "We have to cook in there, and having the remnants of your time with Kaori wouldn't add for the dishes prepared for customers."

Mikoto gave a teasing smirk back, "Don't worry, I save that for when I visit her at her apartment for the night."

Kusanagi rolled his eyes as the King disappeared into the kitchen, when the bell above the front door sounded, catching his attention as he looked over to see who entered.

Much to his surprise, it was a middle aged woman with her daughter, roughly Yata's age, who followed her up to the counter with a nervous smile.

"Welcome to HOMRA," Kusanagi said politely with a smile, "What can I get for you lovely ladies today?"

The woman smiled at him, "Nothing for me, but I was wondering if you were hiring?"

"Oh?" He looked from the mother to her daughter, who was looking as though she was growing more and more nervous as the minutes passed, "Well, we don't usually hire teenagers since this is technically considered a pub."

"She's nineteen," The woman said politely, reaching into her purse to produce a legal I.D. before turning to her daughter, "Reina, be polite and introduce yourself."

The girl, Reina, bowed politely as Kusanagi accepted the card from her mother, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Kusanagi smiled at her and chuckled, "It's alright, no need to be so formal," He gave the card a quick once over and handed it back to the woman, "Well, if you don't mind working with a bunch of guys around your age, then I'm sure I could find something for you to do."

Reina looked at him with wide eyes, "Really?"

"Sure," He propped his hands on his hips, "There's a woman here who I'm sure you'll get along with. She's practically married to our boss, so she's a pretty permanent fixture around here. The boys really respect her and listen to her when she speaks, so they won't bother you if she tells them not to."

"Really?" Reina gasped, "Is she nice?"

"Oh, very," Kusanagi chuckled, "Kaori's the nicest girl I've ever met and like I said, she keeps the boys that work here in check so you'll never have to worry about your safety. Hell, I'm pretty sure they're more scared of her than our boss."

Reina giggled slightly while her mother smiled, "You seem rather fond of this girl."

"I've known her for a very long time, so you could say she's like a sister to me," He said with a smile, "Anyways, you're free to start tomorrow around noon if you'd like, Reina. The guy you'll be partnered with is named Tatara, and he's very friendly and usually is the first person to introduce himself to anyone new. He'll be able to teach you what you need to do."

With a nod, Reina bowed again out of politeness, "I'll be here!"

He was about to tell her not to worry about formalities, but the look her mother gave her told him to keep his lips sealed. He simply smiled and nodded, waving to them as they turned and left.

Once the door had closed, Kusanagi walked around the counter and headed for the kitchen door. Choosing not to announce his entrance, he pushed through the doors prepared for a naughty show of affairs and was pleasantly surprised to see Mikoto standing on a two-step stool listing off items that were needed while Kaori neatly listed them on her paper.

"We have a new girl starting tomorrow," Kusanagi looked at Kaori, "Her name is Reina, and she's around Misaki's age. I'm assuming you and Tatara will be taking care of her?"

Kaori grinned, "Of course," Her eyes were met with Mikoto's as he looked down at her, "Is that everything?"

He nodded and stepped down off the stool before looking at Kusanagi, "We're done in here. If you don't need Kaori for anything, I'm taking her out for a while."

Kusanagi accepted the pad of paper from Kaori and looked over the list quickly before smiling, "The usual routine or are you going to go on a date?"

"The last time I took her out on a date she got hit on and I killed a handful of people," Mikoto narrowed his eyes with a smirk, "I could take her somewhere, but she'd rather I not _torch_ anyone again."

Kaori rolled her eyes while Kusanagi chuckled, "Well, at least take her to the park. It's a beautiful day out."

Mikoto shrugged and walked behind Kaori, reaching his hands up to grip her shoulders before gently messaging, "We'll see. It's been a long time since we've had alone time, so maybe I'll pamper you for a while."

"Get out of here before I throw up," Kusanagi tease with a chuckle, shooing the couple out of the kitchen before returning to the counter to ready himself for when the bar was open to the public, "On your way to wherever you're going, if you see any of the boys tell them I'd like them to head back this way to help with tonight's rush."

Kaori looked over to Kusanagi as Mikoto slipped his black jacket on, "Will do~"

 **\- x -**

Kaori gasped as she shot up from her bed in the dead of night, her chest heaving as she reached up to close her fist over her beating heart. It took her a moment to regain her breath, as she swung the covers off her body and slid off the mattress to leave the room. She stopped at the door to her bedroom and hesitated, glancing over to a sleeping Mikoto who was blissfully unaware of her abrupt awakening. Inhaling deeply, she walked to the kitchen with heavy steps and quietly made herself a cup of tea in hopes to calm herself down and induce sleep.

She sat in silence while she sipped at the hot liquid, when her phone suddenly vibrated.

"Hmm?" Curious, she reached over and took it into her hand, instantly recognizing the name on the screen, "Saru..."

Answering the call, she stood up and hastily made her way across the room to stand in front of her living room windows, "Are you okay?"

 _"Yeah, I'm fine,"_ Fushimi muttered, _"I figured you would want me to call eventually. Is this a bad time?"_

"No," She smiled small, "I was already awake. Couldn't sleep."

She heard Fushimi sigh on the other line and the sounds of clothing rustling told her that he was currently relaxing in his bed, _"I followed your wishes, but it doesn't make me feel any less guilty."_

"Don't say that," Kaori chastised, "I was the one who made you promise that you wouldn't tell me anything, so please don't blame yourself."

There was a moment of silence before she closed her eyes.

"Is he treating you well?" She whispered, letting the worry for the former Red clansman slip, "The Blue King... Is he being kind to you despite your past affiliation?"

 _"Yeah. He's already given me a very important position and a lot of responsibility,"_ Fushimi said, _"Should I ask how it was at the bar?"_

Kaori's eyes opened, and she had to blink twice as she thought she'd caught sight of Mikoto standing behind her. Turning around quickly, she found that she was still alone in the open living room and attached kitchen.

"It was a mess, and everyone's a little upset that you left," She admitted, "To say Izumo is disappointed is an understatement."

 _"I knew they wouldn't understand, which is why only you know."_

She sighed, "You'll have to work this out with Misaki eventually. He's feeling extremely betrayed right now."

 _"I will eventually, but not anytime soon,"_ Fushimi said in a quiet voice, _"I should go. I don't want you to get in trouble for talking to me so soon after I've left HOMRA."_

Kaori walked across the room to pick up her cup of tea, "You can always call me, Saru. You know that. If you're ever lonely, I'll make time for you and it doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing."

 _"What about Mikoto?"_

She ignored the way he spat her lovers name out and sighed, "He's a little upset as well, but eventually he'll understand why you did it, but we'll leave it at that for the time being. Until then, keep your promise that you'll stay in touch with me, okay?"

 _"I promise."_

"Thank you," Kaori smiled at the sincerity in his voice, "Goodnight, Saruhiko."

 _"Goodnight."_

When the call disconnected, Kaori set her phone down and sighed deeply. She set her cup down on the table and crossed her arms, feeling his presence behind her as she glanced over her shoulder.

"You want an explanation, don't you?"

Mikoto walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Would you tell me if I asked?"

Kaori leaned back against him and closed her eyes, "When he told me he was leaving, but he made me promise that I wouldn't say a word."

He knew he wouldn't be able to coax more out of her with Fushimi's leaving still being so fresh in the immediate present, so he found her repeat of words from the day before sufficed for now. Eventually, he would get her to talk, but for now he would be alright with the way things were.

"When Izumo told me about his meeting with Munakata and what was said before and after during the drive back to HOMRA, I had a feeling this would happen," Mikoto admitted, leaning down to brush his nose against the side of her face, "I'm trusting the fact that he holds you in high regards, Kaori."

She felt the pressure he was putting on her, but accepted it nonetheless, "Thank you."

"What woke you up?" Mikoto asked quietly.

She shrugged, "I don't really know. I just woke up in a panic, came out to have some tea and then Saru called."

"Come back to bed," Mikoto released her waist and gently unhooked her arms to take her hand, "I'll help you relax."

Kaori smiled up at him and followed him, laying belly-down on her bed as Mikoto instructed while be climbed over her and cracked his knuckles. She released a sigh of pleasure as his thumbs pressed into her shoulders and his fingers curled, giving her a very rough, but good message. It didn't take long for him to work all of the knots out of her back before he noticed she was sound asleep and smiled to himself. Shifting his weight so he could lay down beside her, Mikoto pulled Kaori to his chest and watched her as she slept.

"You're too damn caring for your own good sometimes, love," He chuckled quietly, choosing to forget about her keeping in private, secret contact with Fushimi or the fact that he was a little hurt that she didn't tell him sooner.

* * *

 **So, short chapter depicting what's going on and how this ties into "Series of Fortunate Events"! :)**

 **I'm going to do one more chapter, which is basically going to be one giant flashback, so be warned. It's going to be things we didn't see with them as teenagers, bits and pieces including HOMRA and so on and so forth! It's basically going to be a chapter nostalgia, so I hope you guys look forward to it!**

 **I really wanted to get this series to twenty chapters as a personal goal, which I still may try to do since _I could write a final chapter and an epilogue_... (Twist her rubber arm! Twist her rubber arm!) Ahem... Yeah, so that could happen... :)**

 **I love you all so very much, and can't believe the love I've gotten from all of you during our K Project journey together! You all mean so very much to me and I'm glad to have met you all!**

 **I hope that once school is out on holidays and on summer vacation that I will be able to continue writing things out, so I hope you'll all stay tuned and follow me with my future works~**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	18. CH XVIII

**Hey guys! Bet you weren't thinking that I'd be back so soon. ;D**

 **Here's the flashback chapter I mentioned in the previous update, so I hope you all enjoy! It's not as long as some of the others, but there's quite a bit into it as far as summarizing what we've seen so far and some little tidbits that we didn't get to see from when Mikoto, Kaori, Kusanagi and Tatara were still in school. This is NOT all them in school, just keep that in mind. Enjoy! :)**

 **I do have to apologize in advance though, because the beginning half of the chapter is rather... Melancholy. I decided to reveal more depressing moments of Kaori's life because really, it's not all rainbows and unicorns in anyone's life. The moment's I've chosen all have some impact on the original story line of my series, so I'll leave it to you all to guess how it all fits in and created what we saw in the first series and the sequel. ;)**

 **NOTE; like I said previously, this ENTIRE chapter is a series of flashback sequences, so I'm not italicizing everything. I just wanted to remind you all before we continued on with the chapter~ ;D**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XVIII**

 **A Walk in the Past – Reflections**

* * *

"Man, I thought today would never end..." Mikoto muttered to himself, as he and Tatara walked out of the main exit to leave school grounds.

Tatara chuckled and grinned, "You know, it would do you better to actually pay attention in class, King."

"That's why I have you," Mikoto yawned into his open hand, "Your grades are so good they bumped you up in all of your courses so that you'll graduate at the same time as me. I'll just _borrow_ your notes and use them for when tests come up."

"Oh, King..." The younger boy sighed, "You'll need to put more effort into it!"

"Hn," Was his only reply.

"So," Tatara suddenly gave him a worried look, "Are you and Kaori still fighting?"

Mikoto's brow twitched, "I don't even know anymore. She wanted some time to herself, so I gave it to her."

"But, you guys aren't righting anymore, right?"

The red haired male shrugged a shoulder, "Who knows. I don't think we're fighting, but she still seems pissed and I can't even remember what I did to make her mad."

As the two walked Mikoto noticed his companion was fixated on something off in the distance, having stopped to get a better look, "What?"

"Look," Tatara pointed over to what he was looking at, "Isn't that Kaori?"

Mikoto soon turned his head and frowned, noticing that it was in fact, Kaori. The part that got to him however, was the fact that the bullies from when he'd first met her were once again harassing her.

There was also the fact that she was on the ground and looked as though she'd hurt her leg.

"King..." Tatara looked at Mikoto, "Don't lose your temper."

Mikoto ignored him as he spun on his heel and marched over to where she was, catching the attention of the boys surrounding the petite brunette. He watched their faces pale and their eyes widen at the sight of him, choosing to send them a narrow-eyed glare rather than verbally threatening them.

Kaori watched as all of the boys took off running before she looked up at Mikoto with a frown, "Why is it that you're always the one to come and save my ass?"

"Since you're always the one to get yourself into these situations," Mikoto stepped closer and eyed her leg, "Did they do this to you?"

When she was reluctant to answer, Mikoto sighed and knelt down beside her, "Why do you defend those assholes?"

"I can handle myself," She insisted, but Mikoto ignored her, "Hey!"

Slipping his arms around her to hoist her up, Mikoto stood up and cradled her against his chest, "Just shut up and let me take you to the hospital."

"Mikoto!" Kaori glared, pushing against his chest as he began to walk towards Tatara, "Hey! I said put me down!"

"Just shut up and relax," Mikoto grunted.

Tatara met the halfway, having rushed over to them instead of being the bystander, "Kaori, please don't fight. Just let us take you to the hospital."

"But, I'm fine!" Kaori protested, "Really!"

Mikoto ignored her and continued walking, also ignoring all of the curious looks he was receiving while he carried the protesting girl.

When they finally arrived at the hospital and got Kaori registered, Tatara had been concerned at how adamant she was when the nurse told her that she would have to contact her parent. Kaori argued and pleaded with the nurse to avoid calling her mother, stating that she had no idea about the happenings at school and would most likely cause a scene. Despite the insistence the nurses pressed, they waved the paper that needed to be signed by her mother and brought her into a room to be checked by the doctor.

. . .

"So, what did the doctor say?" Tatara asked upon entering the room, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw her laying in the bed with a hospital gown on, "Is it worse than a sprain?"

Kaori looked over and smiled small, "I pulled a muscle in my leg and have a small sprain in my ankle, but other than that I'll be fine..." Her eyes flickered to Mikoto's for a second before she forced herself to look away, "It was the bruises on my arms that he was more concerned about."

"Your mother again?" Mikoto's eyes narrowed slightly, watching her intensely to pick apart any falsities that she may try to feed them, "Kaori."

She nodded slowly, albeit reluctantly, "Yeah... Just last night."

"Kaori," Tatara frowned, "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "If I tell someone, then it'll just make things worse. Her family is huge, so if she gets in trouble, one of her relatives will come to take care of Uhie and I, which means I'll still get punished."

Kaori heard footsteps approach and closed her eyes, not wanting to meet Mikoto's eyes because she knew those amber orbs would hold rage. It was the same look he gave her whenever Kamei Watari's name was mentioned.

"You need to tell the doctor that she abuses you," Mikoto sat down on the side of the bed and stared her down, "Or at least let Tatara or myself tell them."

She shook her head, "Please, Mikoto..." Slowly, she reached out and soon her fingers closed around his hand tentatively, "Don't say anything. I'll handle it, but right now isn't the time."

Mikoto looked at their hands and felt his heart skip a beat, trying to ignore how soft her skin was compared to his own, "Kaori."

"King," Tatara cut in and smiled at the two once they both turned to look at him, "If Kaori wants to handle this, then let her. We'll be there for her and support her."

Despite the fact that Mikoto looked absolutely angered by Tatara's suggestion, he realized his young friend was right. He really didn't have much control over what Kaori chose to do, and all he could really do was be there for her when a decision was made.

Reluctantly, Mikoto sighed and ran his free hand over his messy mop of red hair, "Fine."

"Mikoto," Kaori smiled at him, trying to dispel the tension in the room, "Thank you."

The two locked eyes for a moment while Tatara observed, grinning from ear-to-ear as he envisioned hearts floating around them.

Oh, how he wished Kusanagi was there to see this!

. . .

"You know Mikoto, I'm more than capable of walking," Kaori blushed as she kept a loose grip around his neck, "The nurse said I would be fine to make it home."

Mikoto grinned slightly over his shoulder, "Says the girl who has a brace on her left ankle."

"Don't remind me..." Kaori groaned, pressing her forehead against the back of his collarbone, "I don't know how I'm going to be able to explain this to mum."

"You could always stay at my place for the time being?" Mikoto suggested, "I don't spend a lot of time there anymore, so I don't mind letting you bunk there for the rest of the week."

Kaori lifted her head up and blinked, "Oh, no... I couldn't do that."

"Why not?"

"Well for one, where will you sleep? I remember you only having one futon," Kaori leaned closer and rest her chin against her arm, "I wouldn't want to make it inconvenient for you."

He chuckled, "Nothing inconvenient about it. I have two pillows and a second set of blankets, so I'll just sleep on the floor."

Kaori frowned, unhappy with his answer, "Mikoto."

"What? Are you suggesting we share the futon?"

Her cheeks heated up instantly, not having expected to hear that come out of his mouth, "Why would you say that?!"

"Why not?" Mikoto's lips pulled into a small smirk, "I thought you and I were passed this barrier already."

That still didn't make it easier for Kaori to hear without any hesitation, "Yeah, but–"

"Then what's the problem?" Mikoto looked back at her with his growing smirk, "If I remember correctly, the first time we had sex was at my place."

If Kaori wasn't red in the face before, she certainly was now, "I thought we weren't going to talk about that again!"

"What's so embarrassing about that?" Mikoto's voice rose slightly and had a mocking innocent tone to it, "We _are_ technically dating, you know."

"Yeah, I realize that but why are you talking about it in public!" Kaori tightened her grip a little more, "People could hear you while we're walking by, you know!"

Mikoto fully smirked now, "And that's my problem?"

Kaori felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine, accompanied by a wave of heat that dropped instantly to her lower belly, "Mikoto."

"Yes?"

"Why did you act so stand-offish when Tatara was with us?" Kaori frowned slightly, "He knows we're together but you acted like I wasn't your lover."

Mikoto remained silent for a moment before sighing softly, "I guess I'm just not used to this all. Don't get me wrong, I'm very comfortable when it's just the two of us, but when Tatara or even Izumo are involved, it just makes me feel awkward. I'm working on it though, honest."

"You? Awkward?" She felt like giggling at that, "I suppose I an forgive that."

He chuckled slightly, "I guess I can say that I am thankful that you're so adaptable. I don't know if I'd be able to handle a girl who didn't get along with my lifestyle and choice of friends."

"You're talking about all of those guys that want to be a part of your gang-sorry, clan?"

"Mm," He nodded.

Kaori smiled, "They all seem nice."

"Izumo's got them all terrified of you."

Her smile faltered and was replaced with an incredulous look, "What?"

"He said that because you're with me, you're a terrifying girl with a wicked temper," He mused, "I think he was pretty bang-on with his description."

Kaori's fist clenched a handful of his shirt as she glared ahead of them envisioning Kusanagi's face, "I'm going to kick his ass when my leg is better."

"I can't wait to see that," Mikoto chuckled.

 **\- x -**

It was three days before Uhie or Kamei had seen Kaori, who was reluctant to return home knowing what exactly it was that she faced upon walking through the door. At first, Uhie was surprised to see her and ran over to her with a curious expression while her mother stood up from the love seat seat was occupying to walk over and access what she saw.

"Where the hell have you been?" Kamei's voice was sharp and cut through Kaori as her eyes narrowed, "I don't hear from you for three days and to top that off, I get a call from the hospital saying that you were injured and that _filthy fucking redhead_ brought you in. Want to explain that to me?"

Kaori shrunk slightly under her mother's harsh gaze and frowned, "It was nothing. I tripped and sprained my ankle when Mikoto and Tatara found me, that's all."

"Is that right?" Kamei's brow shot up, "That's not what I was told."

The young brunette felt her heart sink, inwardly praying that the nurse who called to inform her mother hadn't brought up the array of bruises that she hid underneath her clothing.

Unfortunately for Kaori, the gods weren't in her favor at that particular moment.

"After the nurse was finished telling me about your ankle, there was also a brought up concern of theirs at the fact you're covered in bruises," Kamei's voice was void of any concern, "What do you think you're doing, huh? Showing off those marks on your arms to everyone who asks!"

"I didn't!" Kaori frowned, "The doctor asked me to slip my shoes and socks off, and while he was examining my leg he saw a bruise on my outer thigh. That's what started it all."

Kamei scoffed and reached forward, grabbing Kaori by her upper arm despite the protests from both her and Uhie, before dragging her upstairs to her bedroom.

"You're an ungrateful little brat, do you know that?" She snarled, slamming the door to Kaori's room open before tossing her in there and watching her bad ankle buckle despite the brace still strapped on as she toppled onto the floor, "I don't want to see your face for the rest of the evening, do you understand?"

When Kaori nodded slowly, Kamei slammed the door shut, leaving her daughter to sit there with watering eyes due to the pain surging up her leg.

Slowly, Kaori shuffled herself over to her bed to help pull herself up off the floor and slowly hobbled her way to her attached bathroom. Once inside, she quickly made her way to the tub to run herself a bath and then proceeded to strip off her school uniform.

For the three days she had been away from home, she'd practically lived in Mikoto's spare clothing. He'd doted on her and made sure that she was well taken care of, as well as pampered her by cooking their meals and messaging her sore ankle to help speed the healing process. The thought brought tears to her eyes, knowing that what her mother pretty well reversed what good Mikoto had done for her and that he would be furious to know what happened upon her return home.

"Maybe I should have just stayed at his place," She thought to herself aloud.

As she set her clothing in a neat pile on the vanity, her eyes met her reflection and a frowned marred her face. The bruising that she had hidden beneath her uniform blouse every day were in their more pronounced stage of the healing process and looked much worse than what they actually were, but didn't take away from the fact that her mother had laid a rough hand on her. Whether it was grabbing her arm just as she did moments ago or a slap somewhere on her body, she knew it was wrong but didn't have the heart to call her out on it to higher authority.

What worried her the most was Kamei's retaliation, whether from Kamei herself or from her family.

Kaori wasn't stupid and naive to think that if her mother had been put in jail for child abuse, that she would be safe from her family. Only a small handful of the Watari's very large family cared a smidgen for her, making it difficult for if she ever had nowhere to go. Well, that was until Mikoto walked into her life so abruptly, but it wasn't his responsibility to take her in if she had lost her mother.

There was also the fact that she refused to live with her stepfather, although he would have been her preferred choice of parent considering that he had sometimes stuck up for her when Kamei had gone off on one of her tangents.

Giving her head a shake, Kaori walked to the bathtub and turned the water off before slipping in, enjoy the heat against her sore limbs. She exhaled deeply and closed her eyes, thankful that her sister hadn't followed her to interrogate her over what her absence had been like. That was the usual routine whenever Kaori returned from her time with Mikoto, knowing that her little sister had an open curiosity as to why she was so attracted to such a dangerous guy.

About half an hour later, Kaori finally heaved herself out of the cooling water and limped her way into her room to change into some pajamas when her mother's voice carried all the way up the stairs.

 _"How dare you let yourself into my house!"_ She could hear the rage in her mother's voice even from the other side of the closed door, _"I told you that she's not allowed visitors! Least of all_ you _."_

Kaori slowly reached for the handle and twisted it as silently as she could, ever so gently prying in the door open barely enough so that she could better hear the conversation when her sister gave a gentle push to further open her bedroom door.

"Mikoto's here and he wants to see you," Uhie whispered with wide eyes, "Mum's really pissed."

Kaori frowned and leaned closer to Uhie, "What's he doing here?"

She shrugged, "He just rang the doorbell and as soon as mum opened the door, he barged in and demanded to see you."

The thought made her heart flutter, but really she knew he was just making things more difficult for her.

"Damn it," Kaori sighed.

Uhie suddenly grinned, her eyes shining with the love of family drama, "Maybe he's going to come in and fight mum for your freedom!"

"He wouldn't lay a hand on mum no matter how angry she got him," Kaori glared, "Mikoto may be a lot of things, but he'd never hurt a woman."

Uhie's bottom lip jut out in a pout, "Damn, and here I was hoping to finally have some excitement."

"You mean seeing Mikoto get thrown into a cop car as an entire police force tried to wrestle him down?" Kaori deadpanned, "You're kind of twisted, aren't you?"

"Blame the cop shows mum lets me watch," Uhie admitted.

Suddenly, both girls looked towards the stairs as Mikoto sauntered up with his hands deeply rooted in his pockets. His face was impassive, but Kaori's trained eyes caught the tight features as he bit his tongue and held back his temper. His eyes also revealed how frustrated and angry he really was.

"Excuse me," Mikoto looked down at Uhie, reaching down to pat her on the head as he normally did, "Do you mind if I talk to her alone?"

Uhie frowned and nodded, reluctantly getting up and rushing downstairs so to emphasize the fact that she wouldn't eavesdrop.

"Mikoto?" Kaori stepped aside as he walked in, closing the door behind him before turning to face him.

He pulled his hands from his pocket as he walked over to her bed, spinning around on his heel so he could take a seat and looked at her, "Want to pack a bag and come with me?"

Kaori knew he'd be able to tell how upset she was and nodded, choosing to avoid an argument that she knew would arise from telling him that she'd rather stay home.

"Sure," Kaori limped over and sat down beside him, leaning against his shoulder and closing her eyes, "I just want the fighting to stop."

Mikoto frowned and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "I know, love... I know."

"Love?" Kaori blushed, looking up at him, "You've never called me that before."

He kissed her the top of her head before pressing his forehead against her own, "First time for everything."

Kaori giggled and sighed, closing her eyes again as she relaxed into his hold, "Who would have thought you would be such a sap."

"I know," He chuckled, pulling away from her after a minute before gently stroking her cheek, "Lets not waste time and get our asses out of here before your incredibly caring mother comes up and throws me out."

She nodded and sighed, "Yeah. When I got home it wasn't exactly a usual welcome with a concerned parent after she'd gotten a phone call from the hospital."

"Tell me all about it when we get to my place," Mikoto stood up and walked to her closet to retrieve one of her bags, "If you tell me now you know what will happen."

Kaori watched him and smiled small, "I know."

Mikoto shot her a calm smile before he went into the bathroom to collect her showering necessities, as well as her feminine products (which she was extremely proud of considering most boyfriends wouldn't touch tampons or pads for the life of them). Meanwhile, she grabbed several pairs of clothing and her two spare uniforms before shoving it all into the bag he had.

"Want to bring anything else?" Mikoto looked at her, heaving the stuffed bag over his shoulder while Kaori slipped a pair of sweatpants and a large, old sweater over her pajamas to avoid changing completely, "Extra bedding? A couple of coats?"

Kaori grinned, "I doubt I'll need any of that when you're your own heater."

Mikoto chuckled and went to her closet to grab her favorite coat, "We'll bring this in case you _can't_ come home for a while."

"Probably for the best," Kaori sighed, knowing that was probably true, "I'll pack another bag then."

 **\- x -  
**

Kaori watched as the families of all of the students who were celebrating their finalization of school gathered and talked cheerfully together with a small frown and sadness filling her chest. Today was also the day that Uhie was graduating the higher leveled education that she had been pushed through and knew that's where her family would be, feeling slightly envious of that fact (although she would never admit it).

There was also Mikoto, who had been missing from the school scene for several days now. She hadn't heard from him or seen him at either his small apartment or the bar in what felt like ages. Not even Kusanagi had seen him, and Tatara had been very careful to avoid her during the absence.

"Hey."

Kaori blinked, hearing a familiar voice that pulled her out of her thoughts. When she turned to the side to see who it was, it was none other than Kusanagi himself.

He smiled at her and sat down beside her on the small bench she currently occupied, "Disgusting, isn't it? How those kids all have their parents fawn over them because they made it through junior high and the sad part, not even half of those little brats will go on to high school."

"You sound bitter, considering you opted out of going to high school even though you're a couple years older than we are," Kaori mused, smiling up at the bartender as he watched the excited parents and students while puffing on his freshly lit cigarette.

Kusanagi shrugged, "I did a year's worth of high school and chose to give it up in order to take over my uncles bar, so it all worked out. I not only have a great job and am my own manager for being so young, but I get to travel the world sampling new liquors to add to my collection," He grinned down at her, "Something not many eighteen year old's can say."

"This is true," She giggled, "It really was for nothing, wasn't it?"

The blond looked down at his brunette companion and offered her a smile, "You were on of the top of your class and surprisingly maintained your grades while mingling with Mikoto. I wouldn't say that it wasn't for nothing, because you could still go on and continue to be whatever you wanted to be. Hell, if you plan on something long term with that idiot, you may want to consider being a doctor."

"Are you kidding? I don't have the stamina for that and even thinking about needles makes me want to vomit," Kaori sighed, "Tatara would be the better choice for that. He's got the stomach and the capacity for it, if he'd stick to one thing long enough to actually make it passed a couple of weeks that is."

"Hey now, don't knock down my suggestion so quickly," Kusanagi chuckled, reaching around her to pull her close to him in a comforting way, "This whole ordeal has you really bummed, doesn't it?"

Kaori nodded slowly, relaxing into his hold and sighing deeply once more, "I just wish that the part of me that wants my mother's approval will disappear. I know I'll never be worth anything in her eyes, but it hurts."

"Of course it does," Kusanagi agreed, "She's your mother and the only parent currently in your life."

Choosing not to continue that conversation and to avoid a more depressing mood, Kaori closed her eyes and remained silent for a few minutes. The chatter eventually began to subside until it was only her and Mikoto's closest friend, who remained comfortably lounged beside her with his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Izumo," Kaori finally looked up at him, "Where has Mikoto been?"

Kusanagi turned to her and smiled small, "Well, he didn't want me to tell you because he figured you would worry, but I don't see the harm in it right now," He paused and sat back, reaching into his pocket for another smoke, "He went to go and visit his parents, although I know by now that things probably aren't going that great. Tatara's be keeping pretty quiet about everything too because Mikoto made him promise that we wouldn't say anything to you."

"Why?" Kaori frowned.

"He knew this sort of thing upset you, and with the graduation so close he didn't want that to be something else on your mind," He said with a sympathetic tone, "And really, I don't blame him. His parents aren't exactly any more fitting than what I've heard about your mother. He has maybe one or two decent things to say about his mother, but that's about it. I don't think you really want to hear what he has to say about his father."

Slowly, Kaori looked ahead and nodded slowly, understanding why he chose to keep that from her but she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. If he'd of told her, she would have been more than happy to encourage him going and seeing his family for the first time in ages.

"I understand why he chose to do it this way, but it still..." Her voice trailed off.

Kusanagi understood and could sympathize with her, "I know, but you know how he thinks," Releasing his hold on her, he stood up and offered her a hand, "Come on. You can stay with me tonight at the apartment and I'll make you your favorite to celebrate your graduation. It's a one bedroom but you can take the bed and I'll sleep on the couch. To sweeten the deal, I can even call Tatara over so you can interrogate him if you'd like?"

Kaori smiled softly and accepted his hand, letting the taller male pull her to her feet before beginning to fall in step beside him. Despite the fact that Kusanagi was her lovers closest friend, Kaori was thankful that the level of acceptance and comfort was there in regards to the bartender. He was like the older brother she'd always wanted, often referring to him as such in a joking manner around Mikoto and Tatara.

However, one could almost guess that they were secret lovers, having often times referred to one another in a such a way with a teasing undertone.

 **\- x -  
**

"So, tomorrow's Kusanagi's birthday," Kaori grinned as Tatara plopped down beside her, "We should do something creative for him."

Tatara nodded eagerly and grinned back, "We should! He's been so boring lately and he's really stressed that all of King's new clansmen are calling HOMRA their hang out spot."

"He'll get over that eventually," Kari waved her hand, "Either way, we need to brainstorm and find a way to surprise him. He's one of the most difficult people I know of to prank, so this will be tricky."

"Why don't we get all of the boys involved? I'm sure we could all come up with something eventually," Tatara suggested.

Both of their eyes wandered towards the door as Mikoto walked into the room, giving them both a suspicious look as he slowly closed the door behind him.

"Do I want to know why you're both sitting in the dark with big shit-eating grins on your faces?" His brow shot up.

Kaori giggled, "We're planning to surprise Izumo for his birthday!"

"What makes you think he wants anything done for his birthday? He's turning twenty-five this year and said he doesn't need a reminder that he's... What the hell did he say?" Mikoto's brows furrowed as he repeated the words Kusanagi had told him with distaste, " _I'm turning twenty-five, which means I'll be a quarter of a century. I don't need a reminder._ "

Tatara smirked, "Well unfortunately for him, he doesn't have much of a choice~"

"I want no part in this," Mikoto chuckled slightly, walking over to the couch off to the side of the room before dropping down unceremoniously, "You two go ahead and scheme away."

Kaori watched him and gave a tiny pout, "You're no fun."

"You know when he finds out that it was you two pulling the strings, he's going to hang you both up by your feet from the roof of this building and beat the shit out of you," Mikoto looked at the two of them, noticing they weren't nearly as frightened as they should be, "I don't want to be a part of the beatings, so I'll watch from a safe distance."

"Ah, but King!" Tatara shifted and faced him with a sly grin, "If you stay here and listen to our planning, then that makes you an accomplice~"

"Mm hmm!" Kaori nodded quickly, "He's right! That means, Izumo could beat your ass too and you wouldn't have any say~"

Mikoto's brow twitched, not enjoying the teasing tones both of his current companions used, "Izumo wouldn't dare."

"Oh, I think he would," Kaori smirked, "Izumo' not exactly afraid of you, my darling Mikoto."

The two stared at one another in silence for a few seconds while Tatara sat back and watched, noticing how the Red King's amber eyes flooded with realization. That alone brought another grin to the younger boys face.

"... You may have a point," Mikoto finally muttered, looking away from the two with frustration, "At least let me fall asleep before you two start talking."

With a giggle, Kaori got to her feet and walked over to him, "Fine. Have a good nap."

She leaned down with the intention of pressing her lips to the side of his head, but was caught off guard when his lips slammed against her own. Tatara, who was been watching the entire time, jumped up and took that as his cue to leave the room and quickly shot out the bedroom door.

Kaori yelped as Mikoto grabbed her by her hips and pulled her down towards the couch, swinging her body around last minute so that her back was pressed against the cushions and now beneath him.

With a sly grin of his own, Mikoto leaned close to her and crawled up over her body, "If I'm going to be a part of your lame scheme to throw a party for Izumo, I want some form of payment for my participation."

"Oh?" Kaori grinned up at him, reaching her arms up to wrap around his neck, "What could you possibly want from little ol' me?"

His amber eyes darkened as his lips pulled back into a full smirk, "You know exactly what I want."

 **\- x -**

Tatara's eyes opened slowly and as they did, he became very aware of the fact his entire body hurt. He could barely lift his arms up or even move his legs into a more comfortable position. When he did, he soon realized he was bound by a rope that attached to the wall beside him. At further inspection, he noted that his clothing was all tattered and looked as though he had been through a struggle.

Keeping a level head, Tatara shifted himself ever so slowly to avoid causing the pain from his tight, aching muscles to scream, and eventually got himself situated in a position to better assess the room he was being held captive in.

"Oh, god..." Tatara's eyes flew open wide at the sight of Kaori, who was similarly bound and leaning up against a wall sitting beside three other girls, "Kaori! Kaori, wake up!"

He watched her closely for any reaction, but when there wasn't any movement, he turned his attention to the girls that were lined against the wall beside her.

"Is anyone awake?" Tatara asked hopefully, finally catching movement from the corner of his eye.

One of the girls, a black haired teenager that couldn't be more than sixteen years old, looked over to him with puffy eyes, "Don't yell too loud or they'll hear you and come to kill you."

Tatara's heart stopped at that, "What do you mean _'they'll hear you'?_ "

The girl looked reluctant to answer him, but continued in a low voice just barely above a whisper, "The men who captured us... They'll kill us if they catch us talking."

"How many of them are there?" Tatara asked urgently, mentally preparing himself to fight for the girls he was currently trapped with.

The girl frowned, "There's a lot of them. I saw ten at one time when they first brought me here."

"There's probably more of them than what you'd seen," He said to himself in a quiet voice, his eyes soon flickering towards Kaori's still form, "Were you awake when they brought me and that lady with the brunette hair in?"

With a small nod, the girl looked over to Kaori, "They were talking about sending her and the blond beside her off to one of their employers as a gift. One of the other girls who used to be here stopped them from raping her, but she..." Her eyes watered as she looked away, telling Tatara all he needed to know.

"Don't worry," He gave her a reassuring smile, "I know this may seem like a bunch of useless words, but that woman is my friend and we both know the same people. Trust me when I say that our friends are coming and when they do, they'll get us all out."

The girl looked right at him with a hopeful look flashing through her dark orbs, "Really?"

"Yes," He reassured her with a soft smile, "My name's Tatara by the way, and that lady's name is Kaori."

With a bit of hesitancy, the girl returned his smile with a small one of her own, "I'm Rika..."

Rika jumped and began to tremble as the large double doors to the room they were being held in suddenly unlocked. Tatara looked over with a calm expression as one of the doors heaved open, revealing six very large, burly men with many different weapons.

One of the men, whom Tatara suspected was the leader, grinned down at him and walked towards him, "So, you're finally awake pretty boy. Wanna tell me why you and that beautiful girl over there were in our territory?"

Tatara never answered him, knowing fully well whatever he said would be twisted and used against him. It was the burden of being with a group such as the Red clan that made the young man realize early on how criminals treated their hostages, although never having suspected that he would be the one in this situation.

However, it wasn't his well-being he was concerned with. It was Kaori's, and the disgusting ideas these brutes had in mind for her and the other girls.

"Do you want us to tell you where you are and what we do?" The guy mocked, squatting down in front of Tatara with a cruel smirk, "We're one of the three major human trafficking organizations in Japan and China, with a primary objective of delivering quality females for the sex trade," He motioned with the pipe in his hand towards Kaori and one of the other girls still unconscious against the wall, "like those two, who will fetch quite a pretty penny. You may have heard of our boss, Aido Kiyaatsu. He's quite famous in the underground for his taste in quality products."

Tatara frowned, "You're making a mistake."

"Am I?" The man smirked, "Why is that?"

"When King finally gets here, he'll kill all of you," Tatara tried to reason with him, "You can still walk away from all of thi–!"

The man struck Tatara so hard in the face that it busted his lip and caused him to bite harshly into the inside of his cheek, "You've got some balls, man. To threaten me like that?" He chuckled and stood up, "That's your chick over there, isn't it? Trying to be brave for her one last time?"

Once Tatara straightened up, he watched in horror as the man approached Kaori and reached out for her, "Stop!"

"Why?" He was smirking, even as he untied her binds and tossed her body to the middle of the floor, "How about this," He set his pipe down to fumble with his belt, "I'll get one of my boys to knock your ass out again so you don't have to watch me fuck your woman into the ground."

Tatara's stomach dropped as the man dropped down on his knees to situate Kaori's lower body before pulling himself out of his pants, giving himself a few good pumps in his fist to ready himself.

"Stop!" Tatara repeated, struggling against his binds despite his body's protest, "Don't touch her!"

He smirked over to Tatara, "Would it make this easier on you if you watched one of the others get fucked too?" He looked at one of his guys and motioned to Rika, who was pressing herself tightly against the wall and shaking uncontrollably, "Grab her and put her into whatever position you want. She's all yours, buddy."

The guy smirked and licked his lips as he walked over and ripped her away from the wall, in doing so tearing the flesh of her wrists as the binds tugged mercilessly against the hold on the wall. Rika screamed and thrashed, but was thrown hard against the floor not far from where Kaori lay as the man forced her legs apart. All of her struggling was futile, as the man was much larger than she was an obviously an infinite amount stronger than she.

"Stop!" Tatara yelled loudly, only to be ignored and have his pleas drowned out by the laughter ringing around the room.

Tatara felt the terror Rika's screams provided cut right through him that made the helpless feeling grow intensely, knowing that if he used his powers to break free of the rope around his wrists and ankles that he wouldn't recover fast enough to pose a threat, so in reality he was left there to watch in horror. It made him feel weak and angry with himself, knowing that he would be partially to blame for whatever happened to Kaori and Rika, as well as the other girls.

The other men standing around began to laugh as they watched the two, when suddenly the entire building shook and caused them all to look around wildly. The man who was hovering over Kaori also looked alarmed, immediately pulling away from her as he fixed himself back into his pants.

"Get out there and find out what the fuck that was!" He demanded, watching as several of his men scrambled out of the room.

Tatara felt a sense of relief when he felt the Red King's power, assuring him that they would all be safe. He knew that Mikoto wouldn't destroy the building before he found out where they were and expected to see him shortly. So taking a deep breath, Tatara focused all of his energy into his palms before molding his flames into the shape of a butterfly. With a shaky breath, he released it and watched as it flew towards the door and out into the hallway.

The remaining men in the room witnessed Tatara's actions and went wide eyed, instantly recognizing the signature power of the one group they'd all been told to fear above all else.

Their leader was at Tatara's front in an instant, grabbing a fist full of his clothing to pull him harshly forward, "You're one of Suoh's men, aren't you? From HOMRA?!"

"I am," Tatara was breathing heavily due to the amount of energy he'd just expended and could feel the sweat dribbling down the side of his face, "And so is she," He nodded towards Kaori.

The man slowly turned to look at Kaori, who was now beginning to regain consciousness before looking to Tatara once again, "What is she to you?"

"She's Mikoto Suoh's lover," Tatara said in a way that was very unlike himself.

All of the remaining men felt a shudder of terror rush down their spine, "We need to get her the fuck out of here!"

"We don't have time for that!" The leader spat angrily, forcefully throwing Tatara back against the wall as he stood and turned on his heel, "If we give her back, that bastard Mikoto may be more forgiving."

"I doubt that," A voice from the doorway cut in.

Soon, all eyes were on a tall male wearing purple-tinted glasses and a black blazer, "Who the hell are you?!"

"Izumo Kusanagi. You could say I'm Mikoto Suoh's second," Kusanagi said as he looked down to Kaori and then to Tatara, "Saying he's pissed in an understatement, so you may want to let him have his way and try not to stop him, Tatara."

Reluctantly, Tatara nodded in understanding and waited. He knew that if Kusanagi had found them, that Mikoto wasn't far away.

The leader of the group aimed his weapon forwards Kusanagi and glared, "If you think you're going to threaten me, then you have another thing coming! Do you even know who you're dealing with?!"

"Trust me, you don't want to make this harder on yourselves," Kusanagi said with a sigh, stepping aside while the men inside the room watched in confusion, "Besides, I'm the least of your worries."

All eyes landed on the tall male encased in red that appeared in the doorway, his face cold and his glowing eyes filled with rage. One could hear the men whispering that he was a demon, but that didn't bother him.

Mikoto shot Tatara a look and nodded slightly, as if to ask if he was okay. When Tatara nodded back and gave a lopsided smile despite himself, Mikoto's eyes landed on Kaori, who was laying at the feet of the man he'd known to be the leader of the organization.

It only took a split second for the entire room to grow thick with tension, and suddenly Mikoto surged forward.

Kusanagi quickly rushed over to Kaori while the King disposed of the remaining men, picking her up into his arms before moving towards Tatara to unbind him.

"We need to help those girls, Izumo!" Tatara urged, slowly pushing himself up off the floor and moving in the direction of the remaining women still bound against the wall.

Kusanagi looked over and nodded, "We will, don't worry," He looked over as several other HOMRA members joined them, "All of you, go and untie those girls over there. Rikio, grab Tatara and lets get these two out of here."

"Right!" Kamamoto rushed over and hoisted Tatara over his shoulder, ignoring the protests as he following Kusanagi out of the room and through the destroyed hallway, "By the way, the van's parked right at the front."

"Good," Kusanagi nodded, avoiding all of the wreckage and soon making it out to the van, "We'll stay here until the King is done. The less of us that are in there, the better it will be once he decides he's had enough."

Kamamoto nodded in agreement, setting Tatara down once the back doors were opened, "Everyone else should be coming behind us shortly."

"I see them now," Kusanagi nodded his head, "Now all we need to do is wait for the King and then haul ass out of here."

As the members of HOMRA filed out of the building, each one of them carried an unconscious woman in their arms and loaded them into the back of the van carefully. It wasn't until Bando, who was holding Rika, walked out when Tatara sat up and smiled at her.

"See, I told you my friends were on their way," He watched as Bando set her down.

Rika smiled small and nodded, "Thank you..."

"We're going to drop all of you off at the hospital and let the nurses know how we found you," Kusanagi smiled down at her, "I have a few good friends who work the front desk so they'll make sure you're all well taken care of."

Rika stared up at Kusanagi in shock, "You'd do that for us all?"

"Of course," He nodded, "It's not your fault this happened."

"Has your friend woken up yet?" Rika looked at Tatara after Kusanagi walked over to the entrance of the building, "I don't see her anywhere."

Tatara motioned to Kusanagi, "He still has her. Izumo will hold onto her until King comes out."

"The man you call King... Is that her lover?" She asked hesitantly.

With a nod, Tatara smiled at her before looking over at the familiar red flames that danced around Mikoto Suoh like a vengeful force, "Yes, he is."

Rika turned to where he was looking and went wide eyed, not believing what she was seeing, "He's... He's covered in flames?!"

"That's part of King's power," Tatara smiled, "Don't worry, he won't hurt you."

Slowly she nodded, watching as the man Tatara called King reached out and took Kaori from Kusanagi's arms and held her close to himself. When she was secured against his chest, the flames subsided until they disappeared altogether.

Kaori stirred, lazily opening her eyes and looking up at Mikoto, "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Mikoto frowned, "You and Tatara were kidnapped."

Her eyes widened a fraction, although it was clear that she wasn't fully aware of what was going on around her, "What?"

"They must have given her something or knocked her out before they took her. Whatever it was, it must have a long-lasting effect," Kusanagi supplied as he looked over to Tatara, "There were four other girls in the room with them, but we got them all out."

Mikoto nodded and exhaled a deep breath, trying to forget what just happened or how Kaori looked frightened and disoriented in his arms, "Lets go."

 **\- x -**

Yushin watched Kaori with amusement, watching as she panicked while attempting to follow a recipe that she'd never used before. She was all flustered and running around his kitchen in a wild mess, absolutely covered in the ingredients that she was using the cook with.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Yushin grinned.

Kaori turned quickly to look at him with a halfhearted glare, "No! I told you that four times already!"

"Just checking," He chuckled, sitting back in his seat while continuing to watch her fumble all over the place, "What is it you're trying to make anyways?"

"It's supposed to be a surprise!" Kaori propped her hands on her hips as she surveyed the area, "Well... It's _supposed_ to be supper, but right now it looks more like a hot mess."

Yushin laughed and agreed, "I'll second that."

"Hey!" She shot him a playful glare, "You're not supposed to agree."

"I'm your father, this is what we do," Yushin teased, standing up to go and join her, "What can I do to help?"

Kaori watched him and then turned to her mess on the counter, "Honestly? ... I don't think anything could make it worse at this point."

With a grin, he went to work at helping her clean up the kitchen before they made the second attempt at making supper. With Yushin's help, things went a lot smoother and soon they were preparing the table setting three plates and cutlery down. When Kaori gave him a curious look as to why her father had set a third spot, he only grinned and told her to be patient.

"Want to go get that?" Yushin motioned to the door seconds after the bell rang, "I'll finishing serving."

Kaori nodded and shot him a suspicious look but went anyway, opening the door as soon as she grabbed the knob in her hand.

"Mikoto?" Her eyes went a little wide, "What are you doing here?"

He gave her a crooked smile, "I was invited by your only parent that likes me, so how could I say no?"

"Well then, come on in," Kaori giggled and stepped aside, "We just finished making dinner, so you're right on time."

"Hey sweetie," Yushin looked over to Kaori, "You wouldn't mind running to the store just two minutes up the road to grab some more spice? We don't have enough for supper."

"Sure," She smiled and ran over to grab her coat and the money Yushin held out to her, "I'll be back soon~"

Yushin waited for Kaori to leave and watched as the door closed before he shot a sly grin towards Mikoto, "So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I want your permission to marry Kaori," Mikoto wasted no time in breaking the ice, "It won't be for a while, but shit happens and you know that. I just want to hear it to know that I'd have your blessing to marry your daughter."

There was a moment of silence before Yushin chuckled and crossed the room, "You know, I couldn't imagine my little girl with any other guy," He placed his hand on Mikoto's shoulder, ignoring the heat wafting off his body after remembering that he was in face the Red King, "You don't even need to ask, Mikoto. Of course I'd be happy if you married Kaori."

"Good," Mikoto sighed in relief, "If only this would be much easier than if I had to ask her satanic mother."

Yushin gave him a sympathetic smile, "Whether you believe this or not, she actually wasn't a mega bitch when she was with me. She actually had a personality."

"That I find extremely hard to believe," Mikoto sat down with Yushin and grinned, "Although, I never would have met Kaori if you two hadn't of gotten together, so I suppose I should be thankful for that."

"That's right," Yushin winked and picked up his beer that had been sitting beside his plate, "Ah, she's home now. Time to behave."

Mikoto looked over as Kaori slipped into the house with two bags in hand, "What the hell did you buy?"

"Well," She gave him a sheepish smile, "They had some goodies on sale at the store that I picked up for dessert, and I believe I actually got something that even you will like."

Yushin blinked as Kaori dropped the bags on a clean spot on the counter top before pulling out the contents, ranging from packaged cookies to the needed spices and tiny gummy candies.

"... I shouldn't have let you go alone," Yushin chuckled, "That old man probably sweet talked you into buying everything in the store."

"Actually, that nice old man you always warn me about wasn't there," Kaori winked, "It was his daughter."

"Ah," He chuckled, "Well never mind that, just come and sit down so we can eat."

Kaori blinked, "Oh, right!"

 **\- x -**

"Tell me why I have to join in on this little adventure?" Kaori sighed, fixing her dress top for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Kusanagi chuckled and smiled, "Stop fretting and just play along. If everyone in that building saw you with Mikoto, you would have a harder time infiltrating and coaxing information out of people. Remember, we're here to track one of Saito's men down and find out all we can."

"I suppose," She frowned, "But tell me again why I have to be your date?"

"Your family is going to be there, remember?" He grinned down at her, "I was asked to be your armed escort so that if they tried anything, I would be there to excuse you from their company."

"Oh yeah..." Kaori's frown deepened, "Well, lets get this over with."

Kusanagi chuckled and offered his arm, to which Kaori looped her own around and soon they both marched inside the building, meeting tons of formally dressed couples with rich attire and diamonds everywhere. Feeling slightly under dressed, Kaori frowned and hugged Kusanagi's arm a little more tightly as they walked into the main hall. She was incredibly surprised to find how easily the bartender adapted to situations like these, and how he seemed to just... _belong_.

"Smile, or else they'll suspect something's up," Kusanagi leaned towards her and whispered, "We'll go and find the canteen and then get right to work."

Kaori smiled small, "That would be appreciative."

"Kaori?"

Both Kusanagi and Kaori turned to see Uhie rushing towards them, so she did the only thing he could think of to do, and that was wave like a fool.

"Nice to see you actually accepted mums invitation," Uhie grinned before gawking up at Kusanagi, "Who is this?"

Kaori smiled, "This is Izumo, one of Mikoto's really good friends. Mikoto was very sick, so Izumo chose to come with me today since you know what my boyfriend is like. I can't do family outings without at least _one_ bodyguard."

"That's true," Uhie nodded, still gawking up at Kusanagi, "I would have thought you'd come with Tatara."

"He was busy taking care of my sick boyfriend," Kaori giggled, "Men turn into boys when they're sick, and Mikoto's no exception."

Uhie giggled while Kusanagi shot Kaori a tight grin, "Is that so?"

"It is," She grinned back up at him.

"Sorry to say this, but you two make a prettier couple than you and Mikoto do," Uhie crossed her arms, as though she'd made a very good deduction, "I think you should break up with him for Izumo."

Kaori shot her a blank look while Kusanagi chuckled and smiled a dashing smile, "While I think the thought is flattering, I couldn't steal my best friend's lover away from him. I think of her like my little sister as well, so that would get awkward if we ever did start dating."

"Suit yourself," Uhie said in a breezy tone before walking off, leaving both Kaori and Kusanagi to watch her in surprise.

"Did you understand what just happened?"

"No, not entirely. Let's go before she brings the rest of your family over and we have to explain that I'm not your new lover all over again."

As the night went on, both Red clan members were able to gather information on a client who worked under the man Mikoto was currently trying to catch. Of course, most of Kusanagi's sweet talking and Kaori's beautiful smiles won the hearts of whomever they met in conversation. It had only taken a few hours into the night and a millennium's worth of mingling when they finally met with the person who set them on the right track.

The man was taller than the normal standard in Japan, and he was rather bulky. He had short cut hair that was neatly trimmed and had a friendly face and aura. Kusanagi was easily able to guide him into a conversation, saving Kaori in the reservation should the tactic fail and things fell out of his favor.

However, like a psychic, Kaori made her way over once the man was beginning to see further stimuli and smiled a charming smile that was usually reserved for Mikoto alone.

"Well, hello there beautiful," The man smiled his own dashing smile, "Who might you be?"

Kaori giggled and leaned into Kusanagi while extending her hand, "My name is Kaori. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The name's Tanaka, and the pleasure's all mine," He took her hand and leaned down to place a feather light kiss to her skin, "Izumo was just telling me about you. He says that you two have been together for quite some time now."

Knowing that he would go with this story (since it had been the one they'd used all night), Kaori nodded and smiled, "Yes. We've been together for so long that I'm surprised he hasn't proposed yet."

Tanaka grinned, "Well, maybe tonight will be the night. I couldn't think of a better time while we're all here dressed in our best. Besides, if he doesn't, I just might try to steal you away."

Pretending to be extremely flattered (all the while ignoring the nauseous feeling in her stomach), Kaori giggled and gave Kusanagi a flirtatious look, "Seems you've been told."

"Apparently so," Kusanagi chuckled, wrapping his arm around Kaori a little tighter, "We were just talking about his company and their investments. I know that's the not the kind of thing you enjoy, but now that you're here, maybe you'd like some insight?"

"Oh, I'd love to hear about what Tanaka's company does," Her chocolate eyes locked with Tanaka's, and one could visibly see how taken aback he was with the beautiful brunette.

Kusanagi thanked his lucky stars that Mikoto was nowhere near the building, or else Tanaka may have signed his death wish by conceding to Kaori's false advances, especially with what she was going to do next.

"Might I ask you to accompany me for a walk on the balcony?" Tanaka extended his hand, "I promise I'll return you to your fiance in due time."

Kaori and Kusanagi exchanged knowing looks before she smiled and nodded, "I'd be delighted to."

Tanaka took her hand eagerly into his own and all but pulled her away from Kusanagi, leading her off in a direction where they travelled through many large bodies of people. He offered her a gentle smile as they walked, and began fluidly talking and boasting about his company, sugar coating what Kaori already knew as one of the largest underground drug trades in all of Japan. She knew him to be Saito's right-hand man and key enforcer, having instantly recognized him from the photos provided by Kusanagi's expert research skills and one of the new boys that joined HOMRA they called Fushimi.

"So tell me," Tanaka looked down at Kaori and smiled, "What's a beautiful young woman like yourself doing with a man like him?"

Kaori smiled back and played along, "Well, Izumo has travelled a lot more than I have and whenever he comes home, I look forward to learning about his adventures. He's also very humble and he treats me fairly, which is all a woman like myself could ask for."

"Ah, so you're a woman of simple taste," He nodded, "I see."

"If that's what you'd like to call it, sure," She giggled and nodded, following him out as they walked to the double doors leading outside, "Is there a reason why you wanted to speak to me privately?"

Tanaka's eyes slimmed as he gave her a small grin, "Is it poor on my behalf that I wanted to be greedy and have some of your company to myself? No matter how short it may be."

"Oh my," She pretended to be flustered, earning another grin from the man beside her as he pushed open one of the doors, letting her slip out and into the nights cool air before following her, "Such a beautiful sight it is tonight, with all of the decorations and lights in the city."

He nodded, "It is."

Kaori jumped slightly as Tanaka's hand touched her lower back, but she said nothing. She didn't have to react, because she could feel Kusanagi's aura slowly closing in on them and prepared to initiate phase two of their plan.

"Tell me something," Tanaka looked down at her, "What would it take to win your favor?"

"Pardon?" Her brow as she asked, not minding that she didn't catch herself before she spoke.

Tanaka flashed her a smirk, "Well, I've met your mother and step father and know you're of higher class, so why mingle with that man and his companions?"

"So you know who I am?" Kaori remained calm, although she was sure Kusanagi would have felt the flicker of worry in her fire.

Tanaka chuckled and leaned closer, effectively caging her against the railing before she could escape, "Kaori Watari, daughter of Kamei Watari and Yushin Ushikii. I know a little something about everyone I meet, and you're no exception."

"How flattering," She met his eye, wondering if he was going to out their charade of her being Kusanagi's lover and call her out for being involved with Mikoto, "So then you know that I'm only young and would not be suitable _intimate_ company."

"Now, that's where you're wrong," He smiled a sickening smile, "I'm not opposed to taking a younger sexual partner, but I feel like you're going to be more of a challenge."

Kaori was about to retort when Tanaka suddenly took a dive to his left, hitting the ground head-first with a loud thud. Her eyes widened as she looked at Kusanagi, who was recovering his balance from delivering the kick that effectively knocked their target out.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Kaori shot forward and welcomed the open arms he offered her, "I didn't know how far he was going to go before you showed up."

Kusanagi chuckled and gave her a tight squeeze before releasing her to go and haul the bulky male over his shoulder, "Come now Kaori, have some faith! I wouldn't have let him get far, trust me. It wouldn't just be his ass that got fired, but it'd be mine too for letting it happen."

"You make it sound like you're frightened, Mr Kusanagi."

He grinned over his shoulder to her and motioned for her to follow, "You forget that your lover may be one of my best friends, but he's extremely overprotective and has no control with his anger when it comes to your safety, Ms Kaori."

"Alright, fine, you win," Kaori giggled, "Lets get this over with so we can go back to the bar. I want to get out of here before my mother sees me."

Kusanagi chuckled and nodded, leading her into the emergency stairwell leading to all floors and didn't stop until they reached the basement door. Kaori opened it for him and looked around, motioning for him to follow her as they made their way through the dimly lit hallway. Once they found a storage closet, the two went inside and restrained Tanaka before setting him against the wall.

It didn't take long before the man woke up and was now regarding them both with a scornful look.

"So then, I was right. You two are in cahoots with that Red King bastard," Tanaka glared, eyeing Kaori more carefully this time while Kusanagi pulled out his pack of cigarettes and his lighter, "Let me guess? You're going to burn me? Please."

Kusanagi remained silent as he lit his cigarette and took a hefty drag, "Not exactly," He looked down at Tanaka and walked over to him, making sure to stay out of his range in case the male tried to trip him, "We're just here for information. Now as I recall reading, you're a very high man on Saito's totem pole. Am I right?"

"As if I'd tell you sweet fuck all."

Kaori crossed her arms under her bust before leaning slightly forward, "We already know who and what you are, so just cooperate or else I may have to take a page from Mikoto's book and hurt you."

"A pretty little thing like you?" Tanaka said mockingly before laughing, "You're just a woman. What the hell could you do?"

Kusanagi felt a chill run down his spine as Kaori smiled down at Tanaka, "Kaori... We need him to talk so try not to kill him, okay?"

"Okay," She said cheerily.

Tanaka screamed as Kaori embedded her flame-coated fist into his stomach inches above his pelvis, narrowly missing his kidney in the process. She stayed there for a moment to let the fire bite away at his flesh before finally releasing, pulling back to stand beside Kusanagi again with her arms returning to the comfortable position under her bust.

"You were saying?" Kaori's brow rose, watching as Tanaka heaved heavy breaths in attempts to remain conscious.

Kusanagi shook his head with a small sigh before squatting down in front of the man, "All we want to know is where Saito is. You tell us his location and we verify it, then you're a free man. If not, I may have to hand you over to Scepter 4 for questioning and from what I hear, the new King they've got is quite sadistic in a special kind of way."

Tanaka stared at Kusanagi for a moment and snarled, "Saito isn't in Japan right now. He boarded a plane bound for Russia to go meet up with the leaders liaison and handle negotiations. He won't be back for a few days."

"Is that so?" Kaori pulled out her phone seemingly out of nowhere and brought up a screen, "This is surveillance footage from the penthouse suite Saito is currently living in, and he hasn't left the room since the rumors about the Red clan looking for him popped up. Want to try again?"

Cursing under his breath, Tanaka shifted uneasily as Kaori and Kusanagi waited for the real answers, "Fine. The deal with the Chinese went bad, so Saito was planning to worm his way to the higher ups in the Yakuza. His goal is to control the entire drug ring and start human trafficking with under aged boys and girls. There's a high demand for young brats all around the world, so why not cater to some sick fuck?"

Kaori felt her stomach churn, having remembered being told what happened not even ten months ago in regards to Tatara and herself being kidnapped and prepared for shipment. The thought that these men wanted to do these deals with children made her want to vomit.

"That's sick," Kaori muttered darkly, "How could you possibly find the value in a child's life like that?"

Tanaka looked at her, "I don't want any part of that shit, and I mean that honestly. My part is to handle the connections and make sure our shipments and suppliers get the drugs on time for our clients. Saito is the one who wanted to do the whole trafficking bullshit. Besides, I thought the Red clan did underground work too? What the fuck are you questioning me for when you don't have clean hands either."

"We don't deal in drugs," Kusanagi's tone was level but one could hear the coldness seeping into it, " _Besides_ , you're dealing on our turf. Our King doesn't appreciate your kind in his territory, so this is a friendly warning. We'll start systematically killing each one of you if we catch you or any of your clients dealing in our territory again, starting with whoever's in charge."

"Being you," Kaori finished for him.

Tanaka narrowed his eyes, "The Red's control almost all of Shizume City, which caters to almost half of our customers."

"That's not our problem," The bartender answered, "We could always go start with Saito and eliminate the boss if that makes you feel any better."

"You wouldn't be able to touch him," Tanaka chuckled, "Saito's flat is highly secured with over three hundred men in arms. Not even Mikoto Suoh could break down his door."

"Hear that, love? He says you can't do it," Kaori said as she looked at the phone, "I think that's a challenge."

Tanaka's stomach dropped as he noticed the screen was brightly lit and the numbers recording an active phone call were continuing to rise, "Fuck..."

When the line went dead, Kusanagi took that as his signal and flicked the top of his lighter open, "Well, I guess that means it's lights out for you. Thanks for the info, though."

 **\- x -**

"You know Mikoto, over stimulation can be a bad thing," Kaori pointed out, breathing heavily as she watched the Red King crawl up her body to lay beside her.

Mikoto smirked down at her and ran his hands through her damp hair, "Since when are you so out of shape?"

"Since I stopped exercising regularly and got spoiled with Kusanagi's cooking and Tatara's baking," She giggled, finally catching her breath the longer she relaxed, "Rhetorical question, though... Since when do _you_ have so much damn energy?!"

Leaning down, he pressed his lips to the side of her head before shifting so that he was sitting up and proceeded to undress her, "I have to chock that up to my powers as a King."

"But you're so lazy!" Kaori moaned in complaint.

"Don't be a sore loser," Mikoto chastised, yanking her shirt up over her head before tossing it onto the floor, "Just because I have more stamina to run around the entire territory means nothing."

Kaori's cheeks puffed out as she glared, looking not at all threatening as he realized she hoped she would, "You jumped from rooftop-to-rooftop and used your powers to increase your speed in the air. I hardly call that a fair challenge!"

"Tell me something," He smirked, letting his fingers ghost along the seam of her shorts and taking delight in the spasms he caused her skin to do, "Do you recall what the wager was for the winner and the loser?"

Chocolate eyes narrowed as they stared into amused amber ones, "The winner chooses the losers punishment, and the loser has to do whatever the winner wants."

"You could sound less sarcastic, you know," He tutted, leaning down to take her bottom lip between his teeth and gave a gentle tug before kissing her fully, "I planned on winning the entire time."

"Of course you did," Kaori sighed, reaching up to grab onto his shirt only to find it was dry, "What the hell? You're not even sweaty! I call bullshit!"

Mikoto chuckled and brushed her hands off so he could pull the fabric over his head, "Not yet at least."

"Oh, who are you kidding? You hardly sweat during sex!"

"I do when you ride me," Mikoto pointed out.

Kaori deadpanned, "Let me guess..."

"Oh yes," He smirked, "You're already warmed up so why not?"

She yelped slightly when he suddenly tugged on her shorts and panties harshly, swiftly removing them from her lower body before fumbling with his own clothing.

Mikoto smirked, watching her take in the sight of his body with hunger swelling in her eyes, "And here I thought you didn't want any after the trouble I just put you through."

"You're forgiven," She quirked a grin, fumbling around so that she stood on her knees in front of him, "I really wish you would have let me shower, though. I'm disgusting right now."

He rolled his eyes, "As if that matters. You're just going to get even more sticky and sweaty anyways."

"Says the man who doesn't look like he ran around almost the entirety of Shizume City..." Kaori muttered to herself.

"Just shut up and kiss me, will ya?" Mikoto grunted, lunging forward to grip her waist and push her onto her back with his lips attacking her own.

* * *

 **So... It wouldn't be a normal update if Mikoto didn't perv on Kaori at least once... LOOL**

 **I just want to mention that it goes from them being in school, to just being fresh out of school, to the first real situations as a clan, up until the point where they are now. It ranges from Mikoto and Kaori being between the ages of sixteen to roughly twenty, Kusanagi being eighteen to twenty-two, and our poor little Tatara still being baby age (LOOL jk jk) around fourteen to eighteen, maybe nineteen. ;)**

 **I know I added a few of the other HOMRA members in, but the way I was reading it was that Kamamoto and Bando were a part of the clan at an earlier stage than that of Fushimi and Yata, so I just went with that. If they weren't actually two of the first handful to join... Just go with it. ;Db**

 **This isn't the very last chapter, but the next update will be. I couldn't justify ending this beloved series with a full flashback sequence because, that would have been just cruel. LOOL**

 **With a bittersweet feeling in my heart, I post this now and dread tying the last chapter out. It's been a journey, and it all started last year when I posted the very first 'Series of Fortunate Events' chapter when really, it was supposed to be a one shot for Yata... Wow.**

 **As always I love you guys so very much, and I will see you in the last instalment of Pieces of Me~**

 **P.S., before I go I should let you guys know that the very last chapter won't be posted for probably the next couple of weeks. I have a lot of tests and midterms coming up around the middle of October, so I'm obviously going to be focusing more on those than finishing off my series. I already have the outline done for the final chapter (and possibly epilogue because damn, I always write a little too much for one update), so it's just a matter of getting the spare time to type it out. Figured I would let you guys know now so it wasn't a surprise when it was actually released~ :)**

 **~ Kayori, out!**


	19. CH XIX (FIN)

**Yes, I'M ALIVEEEEE, and bring to you the final chapter to Pieces of Me! My gawd, I'm emotionally drained writing this. It's been one heck of a journey, and all I want to do is keep everyone bundled up in a cozy blanket and enjoy some shared favorite snacks and beverages with you all!**

 **Is it selfish of me to want to keep all of my fans together? … :)**

 **To my returning reviewers, and to the new lovelies that have favored, reviewed and read any of this HOMRA trilogy, I love you all so very much and have loved hearing your feedback! :')**

 **This update is dedicated to all of you!**

 **PS – this chapter also has flashback sequence in it, but it's not entirely a flashback. :D**

 **PS again – I want to say a HUGE SORRY for what you're about to read, because things kind of took a darker twist than originally anticipated...**

 **... this is unedited... but I don't think I even need to say that at this point for the majority of you LMAO**

* * *

 **PIECES OF ME**

 **CH XIX**

 **HOMRA**

* * *

 _"So, have you decided what you're going to call your clan?"_

 _Mikoto's brow rose as he turned to look at Kaori, "Why would my clan have a name?"_

 _"Why wouldn't it?" She grinned, "I mean, there's Scepter 4, and then there's the Gold clan that I've been reading up about. They call themselves the 'Usagi', but I'm sure there's a different name for them somewhere. And then there's–"_

 _A hand abruptly clasped over Kaori's mouth as Mikoto's lips quirked, "Alright, I get it. I guess I'll think of something later."_

 _Kaori giggled against his hand, gently pushing him away so she could speak, "Just like you to put it off."_

 _"I don't see why it's so important," He muttered, "It's not like I wanted a clan anyway."_

 _With a roll of her eyes, Kaori reached up and pinched his cheek gently, "Oh come on, love. You enjoy having everyone around you like one, big, happy family!"_

 _"You, Tatara and Izumo are enough," Mikoto said without much conviction, trying to ignore the look Kaori was currently giving him, "… but I guess you're right. It has been kind of nice lately."_

 _"That's what I thought," Kaori grinned brightly, "So, to show your appreciation, you need to give your clan a name so that your clansmen can proudly introduce themselves."_

 _Mikoto's brow rose, "You're forgetting we fight all the time, so what pride is there to that?"_

 _"Mikoto, work with me!" She moaned in annoyance._

 _She watched as the corners of his lip quirked slightly, "You know I'm just teasing you."_

 _"… I know," She sighed, "I should know better."_

 _Mikoto watched her momentarily before reaching up to run his fingers through his fiery locks, "How about you give me the day to think of a good name, and then we'll go from there? You know I'm not good at coming up with shit right on the spot."_

 _"I suppose I could_ allow _that," Kaori grinned as she pat the center of his chest gently, "I'm going to go help Tatara run some errands anyways, so you'll have no distractions while you think."_

 _"Why do you need to go run errands with Tatara?" Mikoto's brow rose._

 _"So he doesn't come back to the bar with more 'junk' as Izumo calls it," Kaori continued to grin as Mikoto gave her a knowing looking, "Anyways, I shouldn't be long."_

 _Mikoto opened his mouth to speak when a light knock at the door pulled both of their attention to it, with Tatara's head quickly peaking into the room with a bright smile._

 _"Sorry to steal her away, King, but Izumo wants us to be back relatively soon," Tatara noticed the annoyance flash in Mikoto's eyes, but as always, it didn't faze him, "I promise I'll be good and not keep her too long!"_

 _With a grunt, Mikoto simply leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to the side of her head before shooing her towards the door, "Fine. Just do me a favor and don't come back with a bunch of junk. You're not the only one who has to listen to Izumo bitch and whine about the clutter all over his bar."_

 _Kaori shot Mikoto a quick look at his paraphrasing of her words before she met the younger male at the door, "You just concern yourself with the task I gave you, mister!"_

 _"Yeah, yeah," Mikoto waved a dismissing hand before he turned to walk further into his room._

 _With a shared grin, both Tatara and Kaori disappeared, closing the door behind them to leave Mikoto to his own thoughts._

 _The amber eyed King looked around the scarcely decorated room as his mind began to spin in circles at the idea of trying to formulate an easy, simple name that could also leave a lasting impact when being said aloud. He knew Kaori wouldn't allow him to name his clan something simple in the sense that he and his clansmen would be mocked for their lack of creativity, or that due to the nature of their business they wouldn't be as intimidating as they should be._

 _"I must be overthinking this," Mikoto sighed deeply, sauntering to the door before making his way down to the main bar area._

 _Kusanagi looked at his as he sat down on one of the plush bar stools, "You look stressed. Want the usual?"_

 _"Mm," Mikoto closed his eyes and propped his head onto one of his hands, "Kaori's fixated on the idea of me having a name for my clan, and now I'm trying to think of something."_

 _With a chuckle, Kusanagi set a filled glass with dark liquid in front of his disgruntled King, "Well, she is onto something there, Boss. If there's going to be more people joining us, whether you like the idea of having a lot of people working under you or not, you're going to need to give them something to call themselves. They can't just say that they work for a lazy King who'd rather have sex with his woman all day and sleep the rest of the time."_

 _Mikoto shot Kusanagi a glare before picking up the glass, "That's a bit harsh, even for you."_

 _"Just pointing out the obvious," Kusanagi chuckled, "Either way, have you thought of anything that could qualify as a decent idea?"_

 _"Not yet."_

 _"Well," Kusanagi placed his hands on the counter before leaning down on them slightly, "Kaori did come up with that nice little saying that I had engraved on the HOMRA emblem above the door to the bar, so why not take that and try to grab an idea?"_

 _Mikoto quickly gulped down all of the liquid in the glass as he listened to Kusanagi, "That's not a bad idea," with a grunt he set the glass down and turned to lean his elbow against the counter, "or, I could just go with HOMRA."_

 _"You want you clan named after my bar?" Kusanagi mused, "That's not very creative."_

 _"Think about it," Mikoto looked at him, "this is already an established business that's becoming well known for its face in the underground traffic in the city, as well as being the home of the Red King. What better use for a title than that?"_

 _Kusanagi blinked as he processed Mikoto's words before standing up straight, "You know what, that actually sounds pretty good when you say it out loud."_

 _"HOMRA – no blood, no bone, no ash," Mikoto said in one breath, "it kind of has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"_

 _Nodding in agreement, Kusanagi grinned and quickly refilled Mikoto's glass before preparing himself a drink, "I think this calls for a toast, don't you think?"_

 _Not having to be asked twice, Mikoto spun on the stool to face his closest friend before picking up his glass to hold out with a grin, "To HOMRA."_

 _"To HOMRA," Kusanagi repeated, tapping Mikoto's glass with his own in a celebratory manner._

. . .

Fushimi stared at the computer screen in front of him for what seemed like hours, simply scrolling through boring material for the meeting he was being forced to attend by Seri. It was nothing he hadn't heard before, being that it was a routine meeting to go over the happenings from the entire month, so he knew he would be sitting in the same spot trying not to fall asleep once again.

If he was being honest with himself, he hated this part of his job.

With a click of his tongue, Fushimi closed all of the windows before standing up, making his way out of the office room towards the male living quarters to change out of his uniform. If he stayed on the schedule he worked up in his mind, he would have a few hours before the meeting was to begin, so he would get some much needed downtime.

Once he'd changed and was finishing the collar of his shirt, he looked down to see his mobile laying on top of his pillow and frowned.

It had been over a month since he'd last heard from Kaori, and as much as he didn't want to admit it aloud, he was beginning to feel depressed when his mind raced with thoughts of her finally abandoning him to the Blue's. He knew better than to think that, but the little voice inside of his head still nagged at him from time to time.

"She must be really busy..." Fushimi sighed to himself, reaching down to pick up the device before pocketing it as he made his way to the door.

He let his feet carry him off Scepter 4's property and onto the streets of Shizume City with no destination in mind. He let his mind wander as he walked, trying to mull through all of his thoughts so he could redeem some sort of peace and quiet when suddenly a familiar figure caught his attention a few meters ahead of him.

It was Tatara, who as holding the hand of the little strain that he'd help save, Anna.

Choosing to avoid any and all situations where the two may have spotted him, Fushimi immediately blended into a small group of people and made his way around the pair as discretely as possible before continuing his walk.

However, he didn't get far enough way from the duo when a third person appeared seemingly out of no where with a smile on their face.

"Hello, stranger," Kaori stood in front of him to stop him from walking off, "Lovely day isn't it?"

Fushimi nodded slowly and shifted his eyes to look around for any signs of the Red King, finding that Kaori was grinning up at him now with a knowing look, "It's a nice day, I guess..."

"Something on your mind?"

He looked down at her for a moment before shaking his head slightly, but Kaori knew better, and Fushimi was aware of that fact.

"Tatara and Anna have some more errands to run and I had decided to do my own," Kaori clarified, noticing Fushimi was still looking a little on edge, "He's not here."

His eyes narrowed slightly, "Who?"

"Well, either of them, actually. Mikoto and Misaki," She smiled, "I left both of them back at the bar so I could have some peace and quiet. As I'm sure you know, Misaki usually causes a scene, and Mikoto... Well, Mikoto intimidates any man who looks at me, whether they're a shop keeper or not, so it's just easier for me to do my errands without him."

That seemed to put Fushimi at ease, if only slightly, "I see. So then, why Tatara and Anna?"

"Well, Tatara wanted to pick up some supplies for supper tonight and decided to bring Anna out for some fresh air," Kaori peeked around Fushimi to see the little strain looking right at them and gave her a gentle smile, "It's important that we socialize her now while she's still willing to be taken out of her comfort zone, so we thought it best if she went with Tatara for her first outing since her parent's death to a place this populated."

Fushimi fought the urge to look back and nodded slowly, "That makes sense."

"Are you busy right now?" Kaori suddenly asked, turning her full attention back to the male in front of her, "If not, I'd love it if you would be my escort while I run my errands."

He hesitated, knowing there was a chance that Tatara would eventually meet up with them and pester him for information about how he was doing and prod into personal matters. However, there was also a part of him that desired nothing more than to spend time with Kaori. She had been like the mother-figure he'd never had, and when he left HOMRA, it had admittedly felt like she was leaving him alone for the first time, despite their rendezvous and emails.

Pushing the negative feelings aside, Fushimi nodded slowly and watched her face brighten up.

"Great!" Kaori instantly reached for him and looped her arm around his own to pull him close, "Off we go, then!"

Allowing her to pull him along, Fushimi followed silently and looked around at all of the people making their way around the market she was leading him to. He didn't mind the fact that some of the men and women looking towards the two were giving them smiles, although the comments he would hear about the two making a cute couple irked him. He noticed Kaori would simply grin in response, whispering up to him that she must have retained her youthful looks to receive such compliments.

She continued to drag him around for about an hour while he helped her carry her things, when she finally pulled him to a more quiet, secluded area where only a food truck was stationed in front of a small park.

"Well, now that we're all done there and I've finally got you out of that nightmare, care to tell me what's on your mind?" Kaori looked at Fushimi, noticing how he instantly clammed up, "Oh, come now, don't hold back any details, Saru."

Fushimi frowned and looked away from her for a moment before inhaling softly, "I've just been really stressed lately, is all."

"Is that Munakata fella overworking you?" She frowned slightly.

He shrugged his shoulders a bit, "He has since the day I accepted the job, so I got used to it pretty fast."

"You're at least enjoying it there, right?"

He nodded, "I feel more myself there."

"That's good," Kaori smiled, "As much as I miss having you around at HOMRA, I knew it wasn't where you would be happy in the long run."

"Everyone must have been livid when I left," He stated more as a fact rather than saying it as a question.

Kaori nodded and sighed, "Well, I won't try to deny that. It was chaos for about a week before things started to settle," she shifted slightly, "but we made it work. It wasn't only Misaki that was upset for you leaving, though. Izumo was pretty hurt over the entire thing, but he knew just by watching me that I knew what had happened and brushed it off. Mikoto, on the other hand, I think is still pretty upset over the whole ordeal."

Fushimi's brow rose, "Why would Mikoto of all people be upset over me leaving?"

"He took your defecting to the Blue's pretty hard at first," Kaori sat back and crossed her arms to get into a more comfortable position, "I think it started off as a wound to his pride, but once the matter was settled and things were concrete, then it turned into something a little less personally vain and more like a loss of a friend."

Fushimi scoffed, "I doubt that."

"It's true!" Kaori defended, "Contrary to what you think, Mikoto actually thought of you as one of us. He told me before that he always thought you were a good kid and really good at balancing Misaki's erratic personality."

Fushimi gave her a bland look before looking out to the park, "I don't believe you, but I won't argue with you, either."

"I suppose that's the best I can get for now," She sighed gently before watching the silent male closely, "Something on your mind?"

He remained silent for a few minutes before he looked at Kaori again, "Honestly? I've been a little lonely."

"Why is that?" Kaori frowned, "Aren't the Blue clansmen being nice to you?"

"It's not them," Fushimi closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, "As much as I hate to admit it, I miss Misaki, and I miss having you around all the time for when I really needed someone to be nearby," he paused and looked at Kaori slowly, "I still look for him when I wake up in the middle of the night, and that's been the hardest part of adjusting. It's always been Misaki and me since the day I left home, and even though we had our differences, he was still my best friend."

Kaori smiled and placed one of her hands on top of Fushimi's, "Well, you boys are like brothers, so it's only natural that you feel that way. As for me, you know you can always contact me," her lips tugged into a small grin, "I've noticed you call my phone, but you never leave messages."

He tensed slightly, "I didn't want to bother you..."

"Or, you didn't want Mikoto to find out," She sighed, "I don't want you to have any doubts that you're not welcome, Saru. I know I've been a little busy this past month, but I still wonder how you're doing, or if you're getting enough food and sleep."

Fushimi smiled slightly at this, "You're too caring for your own good, to worry about someone like me."

"Don't say that," Kaori frowned at him, "You're still just as important as you were the day you stepped foot into the bar, so don't you ever think that you're not."

"I'm just like one of your kids," Fushimi said in a lighter tone, rephrasing what Kaori always used to say in regards to him and Yata, "I suppose that fact is true, considering I see you more as a mother figure than my own biological parent ever was."

Kaori smiled at Fushimi as he spoke those words, "I never thought I'd see the day when I heard you admit that out loud."

He looked at her and gave her a smile, watching how her eyes brightened and her smile stretched wide in delight. As he took her in, he felt his mood improve dramatically, and felt refreshed and ready for the meeting he still had to attend.

A frown tugged at his lips when he felt his mobile begin to vibrate as it signalled his first warning to head back to Scepter 4, "Damn it..."

"Have to head back now?" Kaori smiled, "That's too bad, but hopefully you're feeling a little better now."

Fushimi nodded to her, "I am," as he stood up he looked down at Kaori, "thank you, for everything."

Kaori grinned as she stood up, opening her arms to him as invitation, "Anytime, Saru! Now, don't you dare think about leaving before you give me a hug."

At first he hesitated, being that they were in a public area, and that Tatara and Anna could appear out of nowhere at any time. However, the sudden urge to have that small sliver of comfort that he remembered from when Kaori would give him a tight hug whenever he was upset pulled at him, and soon he leaned down to close the distance. It was quick, but he enjoyed the small body contact and the warmth he remembered her having very well.

"Take care of yourself," Kaori watched him and smiled, "and don't forget that if you need anything, just let me know, okay?"

Fushimi gave her what she marked as a full smile, "I will."

As he walked away, Kaori watched him a small frown. She noticed the change in his posture, and the color draining from his cheeks. There was also signs of fatigue that showed in his body language, but what spoke to her the most was his eyes. She could tell he was lonely, but no matter what she said to convince him otherwise, she knew Scepter 4 was where he belonged.

"Hey!"

Kaori turned around to see Tatara and Anna fast approaching with an arm full of bags, "Hey! Did you finish picking everything up?"

"Sure did!" Tatara grinned, "Decided that you needed a break from the crowds?"

"Yeah," She smiled at him before looking down at Anna, "Ready to head back to the bar now?"

Anna nodded, immediately releasing Tatara's hand in favor of taking Kaori's.

"She'd been looking for you ever since we decided to separate to make things go faster," Tatara smiled down at the young strain, "I think she's taken quite a liking to you, Kaori."

Kaori grinned, "Seems I have that way with children."

"Not just children, but young adults as well," Tatara gave her a knowing look, "I hope you don't think I was prying, but I watched you and Saruhiko leave the market."

"I figured you would," Kaori sighed softly, "I can't help it. He's like one of my kids."

Tatara smiled, "I know, which is why I'll keep what I saw to myself. I don't think it's fair that King would get upset at you still talking to him, but it's still a sensitive topic in the group right now," Kaori nodded in agreement as he looked over in the direction Fushimi had gone, "So, how's he doing?"

"He looks exhausted, and he said that he's lonely," Kaori frowned, "but other than that, he seems to be doing fine."

"Well, it's only been a few months since he left, so that's to be expected," Tatara frowned, "I don't think he anticipated this part, but he's a smart kid. He'll find his niche and things will slowly come together."

Kaori smiled and nodded in agreement, "You're right. It's just tough watching him walk away, you know?"

"Mm," Tatara nodded, "Well, we should probably head back. I've got something pretty exciting to show Izumo!"

Kaori deadpanned, "... Like what?"

"You'll see!"

. . .

"We're back~!"

Kusanagi looked over as an excited Tatara barged in through the entrance, followed by quiet Anna, and a guilty looking Kaori in tow, "Uh oh, what did you buy?"

"Ohhhh, just a little something to brighten up the place!" Tatara sang as he made his way to the counter, dropping a bag unceremoniously on the top, much to Kusanagi's displeasure, "They're ornaments that match the color scheme to your bar, and I thought they would look great on display!"

As Tatara pulled said ornaments out of the bag, Kusanagi's eyes trailed to Kaori, as he stared her down and watched the sheepish smile spread on her face, "I thought you were going to keep an eye on him?"

"I was," Kaori pointed out, "but then he showed me what he bought, and I figured it was nice enough to pass inspection!"

Kusanagi's eyes trailed back to the bag, and blinked once he saw what looked like golden colored eggs on pedestals sitting on the counter top.

"See, aren't they nice!" Tatara grinned proudly.

The bartender's brow rose, "What are they?"

"Oh, nothing in particular," Tatara smiled, "Like I said, they match the color scheme, and I thought they would make a nice addition!"

"... Sure," Kusanagi sighed, "but that's it. If you bring anything else into my bar, you'll have to get rid of something else in return."

"But–!"

"No, buts!" Kusanagi cut him off, "This is a classy place where fine folk come to relax and unwind, not a storage house for your junk and hobbies."

Tatara gave a defeated sigh, "Fine, but that's not right. I have lots of hobbies, and I like collecting things!"

Kaori giggled and placed her hand on his shoulder, "My apartment is pretty bare, so feel free to decorate it for me."

"You mean it?" The younger male's eyes lit up.

Kaori grinned and nodded, watching as Tatara smiled brightly and immediately made a dash for the kitchen, "Somehow, I think I just signed up for loads of trouble right there."

"Seems so," Kusanagi chuckled, "So, what distracted you from keeping tabs on Tatara?"

"He got lost in the sea of people," Kaori sighed, "You know what he's like in a crowded area. We need a bell for him, or something."

Kusanagi chuckled and nodded, "That would be a good idea, if he would actually wear it."

They shared a laugh together, until Anna walked over and asked for something to drink. Kusanagi was the first to react, and made quick work of making the young strain her favorite tea. Meanwhile, Kaori looked around and noticed that Kamamoto and Yata were sitting off to the side, both immersed in a card game against Bando and Akagi.

She watched Yata for a moment, feeling a pang of guilt in her chest as her mind travelled back to her conversation with Fushimi earlier. She knew he would have been just as happy to see his former best friend, despite still having mixed feelings about his defecting to the Blue's.

It was then, that she swore that once he was ready, she would tell the russet haired boy all about her time spent with Fushimi, and admit to him that he was still missed. Perhaps, she thought, she might even be able to convince the two to meet one day.

Kaori was still lost in her thought when Chitose dashed into the bar, looking to each of the members frantically, "Guys, we've got trouble!"

Kusanagi looked to him and frowned, "What happened?"

"It's those punks we've been after," Chitose began, "the ones that had the illegal gun dealer selling on our turf! Fujishima just called and told me they're on the move."

"It's about time they show up," Kusanagi looked at Kaori, "Would you mind going upstairs and waking Mikoto up? I'm sure he'd be happy to know that we're going to settle the score with those gentlemen soon."

Kaori nodded and made her way upstairs, not bothering to knock on his door as she walked inside. As she entered the room, she noticed he was sitting on the side of his bed with his head in his hands.

"Mikoto?" She walked over and sank down beside him, "Are you alright?"

He grunted and gave a curt nod of the head in response, "I just woke up with a headache, is all. Did you just get back?"

"Yeah," She gently stroked his upper arm in a soothing manner before sighing, "apparently those men you're after have shown their faces."

"Which ones?" He looked to the side so that he could see her between his fingers.

"The ones who are trafficking illegal guns," Kaori looked at him, "Izumo asked me to come get you."

With a sigh, Mikoto closed his eyes for a moment until he finally released the hold on his head and stood up, "Of course, they'd show up today when all I want to do is sleep this damn headache off."

"I'll run you a hot bath when you're on your way back, and make you some herbal tea," Kaori offered with a smile.

Mikoto looked at her and reached out to cup her cheek gently, "You're too good to me."

Kaori smiled at him and sighed, "Just make sure to come back without any casualties, okay?"

"Can't promise anything, but I'll try," He said in a softer tone than usual, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead before walking to the couch to grab his jacket, "I'll be back before you know it."

As he walked out the door, Kaori sighed to herself. Not that she would admit out loud, but she hated the thought of Mikoto going out into a fight against people that could kill him. She knew it would fall on deaf ears, considering what his clan did for a living, but it didn't make it any easier on her being the only woman that cared about a bunch of rough-housing, street-fighting boys.

Deciding to change into something more comfortable, Kaori made her way back down to the main part of the bar and offered Anna a smile upon seeing her sitting on the leather sofa, "Decided to stick around here today?"

Anna nodded, "Mikoto said I should stay with you so you don't worry."

"He's probably right," Kaori walked over and sat beside her, "You're still so young, and you've already had to grow up way too much for someone your age."

"Is that what you told Saruhiko today?" Anna looked up at her curiously.

Kaori paused for a moment before smiling down at her softly, "No, Saru is old enough to make his own decisions, but the actions followed by those decisions is what makes it hard for him sometimes. We all have the power to make choices, although sometimes those choices don't make sense to everyone else at first."

With a slow nod, Anna looked down at the cup of tea she was holding in her hands, "Misaki is still upset that Saruhiko left."

"Misaki will probably be bitter about it for longer than he'd care to admit, but I think eventually, those two sitting down to settle their differences will do them both some good," Kaori sat back against the leather back, "Until then, all we can do is comfort Misaki when he needs it."

"And Saruhiko, too?"

"Yep, and Saruhiko, too."

Anna looked up at the older woman, noticing she was silently mulling over her own thoughts. Even though she was young, she still had a good grasp of what was going on, and felt sorry that Kaori was feeling upset.

However, their silence was cut short when several armed men broke the front door to the bar down and waltzed in with smirks on their faces.

"Why, hello, ladies," One of the men smirked towards the two occupying the couch, "Seems those idiots left you two alone."

Kaori was first to her, pulling Anna with her before shifting her so that she was behind her, "Whaat business do you all have here?"

"Oh, well that's personal. However, what we can tell you, is that the boss wants to see that bastard Suoh's girlfriend," Another spoke up with a twisted grin, "and I'm assuming that's you."

Before the men moved, Kaori turned around and hauled Anna into her arms, rushing to the back of the bar where she slammed the only door separating the main room and the staircase was. She heard the shuffling of heavy footsteps on the other side of the door before it began to shake as the men tried to knock it down.

"Anna, I need you to take this and call Mikoto," Kaori handed her phone to the child and ushered her towards the staircase, "Get up to the roof and take the route we showed you in case of emergencies. When you're safe, make sure you get a hold of Mikoto, and don't stop calling until he picks up. Call Izumo, too."

Anna gave her a worried look, "But, Kaori..."

"Go," Kaori gave her a shove forward, "I'll be fine. Just make sure you get a hold of Mikoto."

The young girl hesitated before turning on her heel and running up the stairs, leaving Kaori to fend for herself while the men on the other side of the door.

. . .

Kaori made sure the door was locked before she dashed to the kitchen area, grabbing the sharpest knife she could find, as well as the broom with the metal pole. Taking one look towards the door that now had a large crack down the middle, she poised herself for a fight.

"Taking the back door to where Izumo accepts his shipments is probably a no-go," Kaori muttered to herself with a grimace, "and the only other way out is upstairs, but I need to make sure that they're focused on me..."

She took a step back to prepare herself once the door finally broke, revealing more men than she originally thought. Steeling herself, she slammed the metal broom handle over the head of the closest man before swinging it towards another, hitting his hand and disarming him.

"Get her!" One shouted, while several others rushed around to get in behind Kaori.

Glaring, Kaori slashed the knife as she pivoted around, hitting one of the men behind her in the arm, "I don't know what you're end game is, but get the hell out of Izumo's bar!"

"She's feisty," The man, whom Kaori presumed was the leader of the mission, smirked, "No wonder the boss wants a slice."

Kaori let out a loud moan of pain when one of the men to her side hit her sharply on the back of the head with the butt of their pistol, making her stumble forward and loosen her grip on both weapons in her hands. Two of the other men took advantage of the fact and completely disarmed her, each taking on of her arms tightly to restrain her while the man who she assumed was their leader approached with a piece of cloth and a brown bag.

"Hold her still," He smirked, reaching around to use the cloth as a gag.

Kaori struggled hard against them all and thrashed, only crying out loud when one of the men holding onto her twisted her arm roughly. Despite being gagged, Kaori yelled obscurities at them. They all simply chuckled darkly at her, roughly manoeuvring her so that her arms were now tied behind her back before putting the sack over her head. Once her vision was cut off, Kaori's stomach dropped and dread started to fill her entire body. Still, she fought against them as they pushed her towards the door.

. . .

Kusanagi watched as the members of HOMRA beat on the men they were after, noticing Mikoto seemed out of sorts during the entire event.

"You don't seem like you're enjoying yourself," Kusanagi mused, walking towards the Red King while Tatara stepped aside, "Something bothering you?"

Mikoto looked at his second-in-command, "Not really, although this isn't as entertaining as I thought it would be. Their boss isn't here, and he's the only reason I would have come."

"I'm sure he heard that we arrived and ran off," Kusanagi looked over the mess of HOMRA members and beaten enemies, "He's a coward, so we couldn't really expect anything else."

Mikoto shrugged a shoulder before pulling out his pack of cigarettes, putting one between his lips before flicking his finger to light it.

Kusanagi was about to reach for his own nicotine fix, when his ringer sounded. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he saw Kaori's name and smiled, "She must be bored, but I don't know why she'd call me."

"Who is it?" Tatara looked at the bartender.

"Kaori," He said before picking it up, "Hello?" pause. "What? Say that again, Anna."

Mikoto's eyes were on Kusanagi instantly, "What's going on?"

"Anna, calm down and stay hidden. We're on our way," Kusanagi looked at Mikoto, "Those bastards had a group of men go to the bar."

Tatara's eyes widened, "Are Anna and Kaori okay?!"

"Anna said Kaori stayed behind to fight them off, but she saw them take Kaori and shove her into the back of a vehicle," Kusanagi looked at Mikoto.

The Red King's eyes were narrowed and quickly, he covered the distance to walk through the door in long strides, "Find out where their base is, _now_."

"Go it," Kusanagi looked back at all of the other members, "Change of plans, guys. We're going to rescue Kaori."

Yata looked over with a furious expression, "Those fucker's took mum?!"

"Cowards!" Chitose glared at the men laying on the floor before following closely with everyone else.

As the Red Clan made their way out of the building, Kusanagi made a quiet phone call to his liaison in the Blue Clan, eventually finding out where those men took Kaori and relayed the message to Mikoto.

"Bando and Akagi, head back to the bar and make sure Anna is okay. She's somewhere near the fire escape," Kusanagi instructed the two, "Hurry, and if anyone is suspicious, take them out."

"Got it!" They both said before rushing off to head back to the bar.

. . .

 _Where am I?_ Kaori thought to herself, trying desperately to gain any insight on her current situation.

Despite her head throbbing, the the fact that her arms were tied too-tightly behind her back, she wasn't otherwise hurt or incapable of defending herself.

Her attackers had knocked her out once they placed her in the back of the vehicle, but it wasn't until they removed the sack from her head when she woke up that she noticed she was in a dimly lit office that was decorated with a rather prestigious touch. Everything was painted and toned silver and maroon. When she looked around she noticed there were no pictures of the walls of any human beings, rather, they were all expensive looking paintings of landscapes, and one giant portrait of an animal situated on the wall behind the only desk in the room.

"Ah, so you're awake," A thick accent broke the silence, "Do you like what you see?"

Kaori looked over sharply to see that the door had opened, revealing three tall men dressed as body guards, following a shorter man wearing an expensive suit, and was peppered in gold furnishings.

"Who are you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly.

He simply chuckled at her, "You really do show no fear. Interesting," he trailed over to the desk and took a seat on the plush chair while watching her, "My men told me that you took all of them on without help, all to protect a little girl. That's quite brave of you, however, I wouldn't expect any less from someone who is associated with Mikoto Suoh. You are his lover, am I right?"

"Yes," she would not deny it, "and when he comes, I hope you're prepared to tell him why you brought me here."

The man chuckled, "I can see why he likes you so much. There's a temper lying behind those chocolate eyes of yours," he leaned back and comfortably placed his hands on the top of his desk, "besides, I need you in order to come to an arrangement with that man, otherwise he'd kill me instantly."

Kaori frowned, "Well, at least now it makes sense as to why those men showed up at HOMRA. You must be the one that's toting illegal firearms all over our territory."

"You're misunderstanding," he smiled, "I'm not doing anything wrong by distributing my products. All of my products, firearms included, are actually manufactured outside of HOMRA's territory. We just so happen to cross through in order to bypass the Blue's, is all."

She felt like scoffing, "Sounds like an excuse to me," her eyes narrowed further, "So, let me get this straight. You're going to try to use me to get Mikoto to agree to let you continue with what you're doing?"

"Actually, I was thinking that since you're currently here being held as a hostage, I could persuade Mikoto into coming to a better arrangement," the man continued to grin.

"Like what?" Kaori's brow rose, "Since I'm here, you might as well tell me. And if you want my honest opinion, I can tell you whether or not he'll accept or deny, even with me here."

"You say that as if he doesn't care for your well-being."

"Oh, Mikoto cares a lot for me, but he's also not going to let you walk all over him when he could destroy this building rather than talk things out," Kaori stated with a serious tone.

"Is that so?" With a chuckle, he stood up from his seat and slowly rounded the desk.

Kaori's eyes followed his movement before she quickly scanned the room, noticing the three guards were stationed at the door, and by the only window in the room. _Damn it, I couldn't get out of here even if I wanted to._ With a grimace, she turned her attention back to the man in charge as he approached.

"Well, what would happen if Mikoto Suoh showed up, and you were, shall we say, worse for ware?"

Her eyes widened slightly, "If he were to show up and see that I was injured, he would tear this place apart and kill every single one of you."

"Ah, but that may also run both ways," he reached out to touch her hair, following her as she pressed herself back against her seat, "he may become violent, but he may be willing to listen to me when he sees that I'm the only one who could stop my men from touching you."

Kaori's stomach dropped at the thought of getting passed around those men as a toy, but her pride stopped any fear she had from entering her voice, "Do what you have to do, but just know that whatever happens to me, is going to bring the wrath of hell down on you tenfold."

Amused, the man chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair before taking a fistful of it, drawing her forward as he leaned down to level himself at her eye, "You don't get to threaten me. If I snap my fingers, you'll be thrown to fifty men who are sexually starved and full of pent up aggression that have been waiting for a mission. Don't hasten your trip to visit them all by opening that pretty, little mouth of yours unless you're willing to use it for the only purpose it's needed for."

Kaori hatefully glared at him as he released her and stood up straight again, watching as he returned to his desk to sit down once more. She noticed him motion to one of the guards before pointing at her, and felt her heart stop when the guard walked to the door without a word.

"You'll be taken somewhere private and be allowed to roam the room freely until you're needed," he mused, taking in the small amount of fear that seeped into her eyes, "Think of it as an example of how courteous I can be, if you're willing to cooperate. There will be two guards positioned outside of your door, and I wouldn't attempt to scale the walls. The room you'll be in boasts a forty-meter drop, so choose your battles wisely, Miss Watari."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Kaori's eyes remained on him, even as two new faces appeared through the door and were headed straight for her, "I thought I was nothing more than hostage to you? I would think that would warrant keeping a closer eye on someone who is affiliated with a King."

He grinned at her challenging words, "Are you saying that you're going to cause a problem? If that's the case, then I'll have you moved down to where my men are waiting for an innocent, beautiful woman like yourself to sodomize."

Kaori struggled as the two men grabbed and pulled her up off the seat, "I hope whatever god you pray to at night has mercy on your soul, because I know Mikoto won't show you any mercy."

"I could say the same to you, little angel," he motioned to the two holding her, "Take her down to the fourth level and let her have a taste of what's waiting if she chooses not to be a good hostage."

"Any conditions, sir?"

"Yes," he suddenly began to fumble with paperwork, as if they were no longer present in the room, "don't let them get too carried away, but having her handled by a few of them shouldn't hurt. She needs to look at least a little presentable for when the Red King arrives."

"Understood, sir."

Kaori's eyes widened as the two men began to drag her easily through the doors, and towards an open elevator with the light leading downward alright lit. At that moment, all she could think of was Anna, and if the roles were reversed and she were being taken down there instead, if that monster would have, in good conscience, let his men rape an innocent child. The thought alone made her shudder in disgust.

Once they were int he elevator, the doors closed and she felt her entire body go numb. She tried to focus and collect herself, knowing that she would be limited on means to fight off the men that would assault her, and figured she would be handicapped by her hands still bound behind her back.

 _I could use the power Mikoto gave to me, but then I'd probably draw more attention_ , she thought to herself quickly, _I may not have a choice at this point._

Kaori snapped to attention when the elevator stopped moving, and the doors slowly opened to reveal a dimly lit hallway. The two men wasted no time in pulling her along, heading straight down the hall towards the double doors at the very end. She inhaled a couple of deep breaths as silently as she could and began to focus her energy, still not used to physically exerting the flames as well as the other members of HOMRA. She knew she would have to unleash at the precise moment, considering she still tired as easily as Tatara did, and would have to kill off as many of her attackers as possible before her energy was wasted.

They only stopped long enough for one of the two guards to type a code into the keypad beside the door, before pulling her through and into a wide room with a lot of men lounging around. When their eyes all landed on her, Kaori steeled herself for what was to come.

One smirked and spoke first, "Well, did the boss decide to reward us for good behavior?"

"You may do what you will with her, but she is not to be mistreated too severely," the guard to her right said, "She is still of use to the boss, and will be required later on when his guests arrive. Do not maim her in any way."

Several dark chuckles were heard throughout the room, and it didn't take much for her to figure out the smell circulating through the air was a mixture of alcohol, marijuana, and the musky scent of sex.

"Who's first, boys?" The man closest to her reached for her and took her from the guards, hauling her roughly towards the middle of the room where she was suddenly surrounded.

Kaori chose not to fight against his grip until they fingered her clothing curiously.

"I think we should strip her down first and see the goods she's hidin', then we decide," another licked his lips at the sight of her.

She fought the urge to scream when her arms were pried apart and lifted above her head, as several of the men violently stripped her down. It was only after they removed her top and bra, that some of her pursuers backed off with looks of mixed worry and fear.

"Holy shit, this broad's a member of HOMRA!" One said as he frantically pointed at the flame tattoo in between her breasts.

"I say we forget about that and just fuck with her a bit."

"Are you kidding? What if she's sleeping with that bastard, Suoh? I don't want to get killed because I touched his whore."

Several comments arguing back and forth on what to do with her circulated, until she heard someone clear their throat and noticed movement out of the corner of her eye.

"If you don't know what to do with her, perhaps I can take her off your hands," A very familiar voice echoed in her ears.

She whipped her head around to see Fushimi, who was dressed casually and appeared older than he actually was. What she also noticed, was a lot of the men who had been standing close to her seemed to fear him, which made her wonder what he'd done.

"Fuck that, newbie," the one holding her arms above her head tightened his grip on her wrists harshly, "I want a slice even if I'm going to get killed, so sit back and wait your turn!"

Fushimi's eyes narrowed dangerously, "I suggest you let me have her right now."

"Or what?" the man glared back.

Kaori was suddenly shoved forward as Fushimi attack the man, earning several comments from the spectators and a fearful cry from the man who'd just held her captive.

"Now that, that's settled," Fushimi dusted himself off before looking at Kaori with a cold stare, "get up and come with me. I'd rather not have them watch while I take you."

Slowly, she pulled herself up and tried to cover herself as best as she could while walking towards Fushimi. She winced slightly when he gripped her arm tightly and pulled her forward, choosing to remain quiet until they were out of earshot. Once they were separated from the others, Fushimi instantly released her and all but tore his coat off to wrap around her.

"We need to get moving before they start to get suspicious," Fushimi whispered to her, "There are other Scepter 4 members here in disguise, so we'll meet up with them before anyone catches onto what we're doing."

Kaori looked at Fushimi with a grateful expression, "Thank you, Saru..." she allowed him to take her hand and followed him closely, "How in the hell did you know I was here?"

"We were tracking the surveillance camera's around the city looking for these guys," he began to explain, "and when I switched to the view of the main office, I saw you on the couch. We also got a call from Kusanagi, who said that they were on their way to get you. It wasn't a request for us to help, but we were already on our way here when we heard from HOMRA."

She caught the bitter undertone to his voice, but pushed it aside, "So, what about back there? How did you manage to infiltrate as one of them?"

"Akiyama, Kamo, Fuse, and myself all forced ourselves into their system a week ago and made false profiles," Fushimi stopped them in order to check a corner before continuing to move forward, "and as far as they know, we've always been members here working for our target."

"How long have you been after these guys?" Kaori frowned.

"Probably as long as HOMRA has been," Fushimi grunted, "Akiyama's just up ahead. Stay quiet until we get to him, and if he's not alone, act as though you're about to be sexually assaulted. We need to make it as authentic as possible to avoid suspicion."

Kaori nodded, following Fushimi silently until they reached an unmarked door. As he turned the handle, she looked around the hall in both directions for any signs of life, or cameras perched on the ceiling that may spot them.

"Coast is clear," Fushimi tugged her forward so that she could enter first, and locked eyes with Akiyama as he closed the door behind them, "Status?"

Akiyama was already handing Kaori a change of clothing, and motioning to a corner with a barrier for her to privately change as he spoke to Fushimi, "Fuse is already at the control room ready to disarm the security system, and I just heard from Kamo that the Red King is almost here. The captain is waiting at a rendezvous point for him, and once HOMRA has arrive, Scepter 4 will join them in storming this headquarters."

Fushimi nodded, "Good, it's about time this mission will be done," he looked at Kaori once she rejoined them, "Not much longer now."

Kaori nodded at him before looking at Akiyama, "I should also thank you for being a part of this. It would have gotten ugly if Saruhiko hadn't of been there, or if we didn't find you alone."

"Anything to keep the public safe," Akiyama smiled at her, "Besides, we wouldn't want the explosive Red King to destroy this place before finding you."

Her cheeks reddened slightly, "So, you know who I am?"

"Of course," he nodded, "All of Scepter 4 is aware of your status with the Red King, and it was our choice to accept the mission once it was decided that we were to be involved in an emergency rescue mission. Fushimi was the one who insisted I accompany him."

Kaori smiled as Akiyama bowed his head politely, "Thank you."

Turning towards Fushimi, Kaori swiftly close the distance and pulled the boy into a tight hug. She felt him tense and move to push her away, but as she trembled, his body went lax and his arms slowly curled around her in an awkward embrace.

"Don't cry," Fushimi sighed, "nothing happened, and if those creeps had of done anything more, I would have killed them all."

She nodded her head slowly and took a deep breath, "I'm just finding it hard to believe that someone actually found me before they got any further," closing her eyes, she counted her breathing so she could calm her nerves, "I would have been a sitting duck out there..."

"Can't you use HOMRA's power?" Akiyama, who chose to stay indifferent with the scene in front of him despite wanting to stare open-mouthed at the two, slowly asked.

Kaori didn't released Fushimi as she looked over her shoulder to Akiyama with a sad smile, "I can, but I'm not used to using that power yet, and I get tired very quickly. If I were to use enough to kill the majority of those men down there, I'd physically exhaust myself before they were all dead."

Akiyama frowned at that, "So, what would you have done instead?"

"Fought them as hard as I could," she released Fushimi as soon as she felt a little more settled, "I was waiting for the man who was holding my wrists to loosen his grip so I could make a move, but that's when Saruhiko stepped forward."

"It's a good thing he bowed down without a fight, or else my cover may have been blown," Fushimi clicked his tongue.

A sudden noise on the other side of the door drew all of their attention, and Kaori was quickly ushered behind the barrier she'd changed behind by Akiyama to get her out of sight while Fushimi opened the door. To their relief, Kamo slipped inside and quickly shut the door behind him.

"Fuse's disabled all of the camera's and the main security system, so we're ready whenever you are," he looked towards Fushimi and Akiyama, "Did you find Kaori Watari?"

"We did," Akiyama nodded as Kaori walked out from her hiding spot, "Has HOMRA arrived yet?"

Kamo nodded, "They just met up with Scepter 4 as I was on my way here, and we have new orders. Captain Munakata wants us to remain here until they infiltrate this place, and will be sending a unit with HOMRA members accompanying to come and get us."

"What of Fuse?" Akiyama frowned.

"He should be here any minute now," Kamo looked back at the door, "I spoke to him briefly before I started my way here, and he said he was already halfway to this room."

"Good," Fushimi walked over and stood beside Kaori, "at least we won't have to worry about casualties just yet."

As if on cue, the door opened and closed just as quickly as Fuse locked it behind him, "We need to prepare for a fight. Some of the guards are onto me, but I gave them the slip."

"Alright, let's change and ready ourselves for their first attack," Akiyama looked at Fushimi, who gave an affirmative nod and pulled Kaori to the other side of the room.

"If we get attacked and things get ugly, I want you to take these and run like hell," Fushimi offered Kaori a few of his daggers, "Everyone is on their way, but if we need to fight, I don't want you to get in the crossfire."

Kaori accepted the weapons, but looked up at the younger male with a frown, "I can fight, Saru."

"I know, but if those fifty men show up, I can't fight them, and watch out for you," Fushimi argued, "If it's just a few men, then you can stay behind us. I know they're not the guys from HOMRA, but I picked the best fighters to come on this mission with me, so trust us."

She hesitated for a moment, but reluctantly nodded, "Alright."

Fushimi was about to say something more, when a loud bang echoed through the room. All eyes were turned to the front immediately, watching as the door began to bulge with each hit. Akiyama and Kamo were by Fushimi in the blink of an eye, each standing in front of Kaori, while Fuse remained towards the back with her. Lacking their normal etiquette when drawing their weapons, each of them drew their swords as silently as possible to prepare for whatever was trying to get in.

Each of the Blue's braced themselves when the door finally caved in, revealing armed men and several faces from the floor below that Kaori had been taken to.

"Shit," Fushimi clicked his tongue, trying his best to hide her from view as each enemy entered the room.

. . .

Munakata looked towards the Red Clan as they approached, and gave an amused smile at the look on Mikoto's face as he turned to face him squarely, "Why, Suoh, you've looked as though you've seen better days."

Said red-haired male grunted, "Izumo said you have men on the inside," he looked past Munakata towards the building's entrance, "did they find her?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, they did," the Blue King confirmed, "I believe they are with her as we speak."

"Sir!" A female voice cut their conversation short, as lieutenant Awashima approached the two Kings, "I've just heard from Akiyama, and he's confirmed that all of them are at the rendezvous point with Kaori Watari awaiting our arrival."

Munakata smiled, "Excellent work, miss Awashima," he looked at Mikoto, "I assume you'll want to lead?"

Mikoto walked right past the two as Awashima stepped out of his way, pushing through the other Blue clansmen that were barricading the barrier they'd created between the outside world and the building. The Red clan followed quickly, with Kusanagi waving to he Blue King and his lieutenant briefly before catching up to his King after Awashima told him the room to look for.

The Red King wasted no time in destroying the main door, watching as all of the security and lobby staff scrambled to get out of his way. He fought a smirk from forming, watching the men who were paid to protect the entrance run away for their lives like rats. He could heard yelling from a few directions as men and women gave orders to close in on the intruders, but he made quick work of them by casting his flames down each corridor to burn the enemies. He could hear Tatara from behind him sigh at his brutality, but he brushed it off. Mikoto was focused on one thing, and that was retrieving his lover and destroying this place brick-by-brick.

"According to Seri, we need to go down to the third level, where Saruhiko would have brought Kaori after he'd found her," Kusanagi instructed, looking at a small map of the building that was given to him by one of the Blue clansmen, "The room we're looking for is 326."

Mikoto looked back at him, "I'm going after her. The rest of you, go find the bastard that ordered her kidnapping and keep him quiet until I get there."

"Understood, boss!" Yata grinned, motioning for the rest of HOMRA to follow him.

Tatara and Kusanagi watched the group leave, followed by several members of Scepter 4, before he turned to Mikoto, "Let's go find her, boss."

Mikoto swiftly walked forward, using his powers to destroy a door leading to one of the many staircases before descending down to the third level. Upon reaching the door, he heard commotion on the other side. With a grin, he kicked the door open, seeing twelve heavily armed men aiming guns towards him.

"Hands where I can see them, pricks!" One yelled from behind his helmet, "Get on the ground, now!"

Tatara frowned as Mikoto's flames manifested themselves, coating him like a protective blanket. As he took a step forward, each of the men standing there fired, but the bullets were no match for the power of the Red King. With not even a flick of his hand, Mikoto's flames whipped out, latching onto the men as they screamed with the agony of their fast approaching death.

"King..." Tatara sighed, "You didn't have to do that."

"I did," was the sharp reply, "Focus your attention of finding that room instead of trying to scold me."

Kusanagi laid a hand on Tatara's shoulder and gave him a small smile, "Leave him be this time, Tatara. You know how he gets when Kaori's concerned."

Nodding slowly, Tatara begrudgingly followed his King down the hall.

It surprised Mikoto only slightly when no other guards showed up, making him briefly wonder where they'd all gone to when he finally reached the room.

"What the hell happened here?" Kusanagi frowned, stepped closer to the pieces of broken wood once they made it to their destination, "Looks like one hell of a fight went on here," he looked back to one of the Blue clansmen that followed them, "contact Seri and tell her that they're gone, and that we need a new change of plans."

"Right!" The man scampered off to go tell the other soldier waiting at the doorway to the third level the new information.

Kusanagi looked at Mikoto, "There's burn marks all over the floor in there," he motioned to one of the bigger marks, "so she must have used her power knowing that Saruhiko would keep her safe when her body gave out."

Mikoto's lips were pulled in a tight line, "That bastard must have sent some men after them, and had them taken somewhere else," he turned to Kusanagi and Tatara, "We're going to find him and make him squeal."

. . .

"Out of my way, fuckers!" Yata growled, giving a mighty kick off for more speed as he swiftly threaded his way between enemies that shot at him, slamming his bat into several men as he passed by.

All of the other members of HOMRA followed in suit, each taking down the enemies with victorious smirks on their faces while leaving the Blue's in their dust on their way to the main office.

It had been easy for the clans to scale the levels, and reach the top of the building. It was only when they opened the door to the level they aimed for that they hit resistance, meeting about thirty heavily armed men wearing armor that had been waiting for them. The majority had been easy to defeat, but the guards closer to the door were proving to be a challenge.

"Look, it's the captain!"

Munakata walked forward with Awashima followed closely, making their way towards the office doors through the path cleared for them by his own clan, and HOMRA. As he approached the doors, he used his power to deflect any debris or bullets aimed towards them, never sparing them a glance as he pushed on.

When he finally made it to the office doors, Munakata motioned for Awashima to remain outside before he pushed them open without a second's hesitation, his eyes narrowing at the sight as he entered the room.

"Well, I'm surprised to see you before Mikoto Suoh," came the amused response to Munakata's appearance, "although at this point, it really doesn't matter who gets here first. I believe we all have things to discuss."

There in the room, was the man HOMRA and Scepter 4 was after, sitting behind his desk while Kaori, tied and gagged, was situated beside him with a gun to her temple. To the left of the room sat all of the members of Scepter 4 who had infiltrated the building earlier, each tied up with gags in their mouths as well.

"That was very sneaky of you, Munakata, having some of your men disguise themselves to come into my home, and gather intel," the man chuckled, "However, it was a smart move on your part. You probably know a hell of a lot more than you should at this point."

Munakata smiled, "Many thanks for your praises on my subordinates, but unfortunately I can't accept them while you have my men held hostage."

"Then perhaps we can come to an understanding," a dark smile graced the man's lips, "You know who I am, and what I'm capable of. Why not amuse me by listening to what I have in mind before we settle on agreements?"

"Still as bold as ever, Takanori," Munakata glanced over to Kaori, briefly meeting her eyes, "Suoh will be displeased once he finds his lover in a compromising state."

"I'm hoping not to put a scratch on her pretty, little head in order to make him see reason," Takanori pressed the barrel onto her temple, making her tense significantly, "I also have a few men who would love to have her before I handed her over, so I'm considering letting them fuck her on the floor or against the wall before the Red King gets here."

"I would strongly suggest you refrain from doing so," the Blue King warned with a smile, "While we wait for Suoh to arrive, why don't we instead tend to the details of this negotiation you wish to proceed with?"

Takanori chuckled, "I suppose that would be a start," letting the gun drop, he sat back comfortably in his chair, "To get straight to the point, I want full access to all routes in, and out of the Blue and Red territory for my shipments."

"What is it that you're willing to offer in exchange for this luxury?" Munakata asked, crossing his arms comfortably across his chest before reaching up to reflexively fix his glasses.

Takanori watched him closely, "I'm offering thirty percent of the profit to whoever chooses to accept my proposal. Since my men are more than capable of handling themselves, I don't think hazard pay, or protection from the opposite clans is necessary."

"You speak as though you're assuming I'll agree to this proposal," the Blue King mused, "If by chance, Suoh and I were to agree to allow passage through our territories for your business to continue, what makes you certain that the Gold King will not step in to stop you?"

"I'm not worried about that old fuck," Takanori waved him off, "he sits back and watches you all argue without a concern, so we're nothing but dots on the map to him. Besides, I prefer if my men remain as inconspicuous as possible when moving cargo, so I doubt we would alert the Gold King with our movement if we were through your territory."

Munakata's brow rose slightly, "You seem to have given this a lot of thought, aside from your choice of negotiations as far as Suoh's lover is concerned."

"I doubt that hot-headed man would have listened to what I've got to say without leverage, so she will sit beside me while I speak to him," Takanori said with an assured tone, "As, there they are."

Munakata looked back to see Mikoto approaching, followed by two of his closer clansmen. His eyes narrowed slightly when he caught sight of the tell-tale sparks flickering off the Red King's form, and considered the chances of a disaster in the making if Mikoto were to lose his temper.

"Welcome, Suoh," Takanori smiled as Mikoto entered the room alone, "How nice of you to join us."

Mikoto's eyes landed on Kaori, who shot him a relieved look, before he focused on Takanori, "Takanori Kai, you've been busy."

"You seem upset?" he lifted the gun, aiming it to Kaori again, "I thought maybe we could talk like civilized gentlemen, but it seems you're already preparing multiple ways to kill me in your head."

"Oh, if I wanted you dead right now, there'd be nothing that could stop me," Mikoto said with a smirk, "Now, you've got two options before I destroy this entire building."

Takanori grinned, "Oh, and what might those be?"

"One, is you can hand over Kaori and surrender yourself to spare the rest of your men," Mikoto's tone suddenly changed, "and two, you could try to fire that gun, and see how fast your arm gets burned off before the bullet even leaves the chamber."

"I don't think you're in a position to threaten me, especially not when I have your lover at the end of a gun," Takanori narrowed his eyes slightly, but the grin never left his face, "Now, why not relax and listen to the negotiations? Munakata has already indulged me, so let me extend the same offer to you."

Mikoto glanced towards the Blue King, who met his eye with a sharp look.

"I want free range in and out of both territories, and to have the ability to move my products without interference from your clans," Takanori summarized what he told the Blue King, "In exchange, I'll hand over thirty percent of the profits to whoever wants to accept the proposal first, but I also have no problem offering a slice to each of you."

A low chuckle escaped Mikoto's lips, "You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am," Takanori stood up, bringing Kaori with him as he pressed the gun to her temple once more, "You see, you both have been a thorn in my side, and forced me to delay shipments many times in the past due to your clans interfering with deliveries. What I'm asking for is for you to let me continue my business, and to let me pay you for safe passage."

"No deal."

"That's too bad," Takanori clicked the hammer back and folded his finger around the trigger, "You've got one more chance, Suoh, before I send her into oblivion or let my men have their way with her until she's begging for us to kill her."

Munakata could feel the aggression wafting off Mikoto in waves, but it surprised him at how composed the Red King was at that moment.

"Consider your options, Suoh," Takanori grinned, "If I kill her, don't you think our negotiations will be wasted? Why not think about this rationally, and just face the fact that this deal will happen whether you like it, or not."

During the entire exchange, Kaori's eyes were locked onto Mikoto's face. She was silently pleading with him not to accept the deal, or to lose control. She was also concerned for Fushimi and the Blue's who had helped her earlier, keeping them in her peripheral vision while she maintained her watch on her King.

The air in the room thickened at the stalemate, with no one moving an inch or willing to take their eyes off whom they saw as an enemy.

Takanori was the first to break the silence, "Well, this is getting us nowhere," he sighed, "so let's amp up the party, shall we?"

A straggled cry echoed through the room as Takanori shot Kaori in the leg, causing her to collapse onto the floor in agony while everyone watched. Once she hit the ground, Takanori then aimed his gun at Fushimi, firing at his left shoulder. The younger of the two groaned against his gag, struggling against himself to stay as still as possible while the pain radiated through his body.

In that moment, Munakata felt his stomach drop as his eyes shot to Mikoto, whom he was sure would burst into a fit of rage instantly.

"Oops, I must have forgotten to take all of the duds out before I started threatening her," Takanori chuckled, "Although, I'm sure that was the last one, so let's come to agreement before I have to start using real bullets, shall we?"

Kaori struggled against her binds as she sucked in as much air as she could despite her mouth being gagged, trying desperately to ignore the throbbing pain in her leg in favor of pushing herself up off the floor. During her struggle, she caught sight of Mikoto and froze.

"Kaori," Mikoto's tone was deadly, "close your eyes and follow my lead."

Listening to Mikoto, she closed her eyes tightly, feeling her power building up at the same speed as Mikoto's. Takanori was speaking to the King, but she didn't hear anything. All she focused on was the rate of his energy circulating through the air, and the intensity of the heat that suddenly enveloped her, followed by a piercing scream, and a large explosion.

Once the heat subsided, Kaori rolled onto her side, inhaling deeply and trying to focus on staying conscious. She blinked several times in attempts to stay awake, choosing to look over to the Blue's who had helped keep her safe, immediately noticing Fushimi's pain-filled features.

Her eyes widened slightly, and the sudden upsurge of energy lifted the fatigue that reigned over her as she fought to get up off the floor to go to the boy.

"Kaori," Mikoto was beside her in an instant, ripping the binds from her wrists and helping her to sit up, "Cam down, he'll be fine."

Kaori gasped audibly once Mikoto pulled the gag out of her mouth, "Mikoto, he's been–"

"He was hit with a blank like you were," he said as he shifted, slipping both of his arms under her body to take hold of her before standing up, "Worry about calming yourself down, and after you can see him."

She was about to strongly protest when a sharp look from her lover silenced her.

"Izumo," Mikoto turned to look at the bartender, "Give the orders to burn this place to the ground."

Kusanagi, who had entered the room once Mikoto had set Takanori on fire and forced his flames to shoot the man backwards with enough force to send him through the wall, nodded at his order, "You got it, boss."

Mikoto looked towards Munakata, watching momentarily as Awashima was cutting the last of the four held hostage free, "Tell your men to get out of here."

"I don't take orders from you, Suoh," Munakata looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes, "However, I will heed your warning this time and have my men evacuate immediately."

The two exchanged a final silent look before Mikoto turned on his heel, walking with long strides out the doors with Kaori in his arms. He didn't stop or slow down his face until he finally reached the entrance to the building, where he continued to a brisk pace towards the HOMRA van parked just outside of Scepter 4's barricades.

"How does your leg feel?" Mikoto set her down gently once they were in the back of the van, ignoring the sound of explosions in the background, "Do you think you need to go to the hospital?"

Kaori winced slightly as he helped her elevate her leg and prop it up on the seat beside her, "It hurts like a mother fucker," he chuckled at her choice of words, "I should probably get it checked out."

"I'll see if I can get that nurse Tatara learned all of his medical skills from to come take a look," He reached out to brush some hair from her face, "I'd rather not explain to the staff at the hospital how that happened, and considering how easily your bruise, you're probably already pretty black and blue."

She offered him a small smile, "Yeah," she sat back against her seat, lifting her hand to rest on top of his, "Is Anna okay?"

"She's fine, and is in the company of a few of the guys," Mikoto smiled when she sighed in relief.

"Okay, good," Kaori closed her eyes, "I'm glad she's safe."

Mikoto noticed that the adrenaline was wearing off, and the kickback from Kaori using her power was coming back with a vengeance, "You need to get some rest."

"I'm fine," she said in a sleepy tone, before opening her eyes to look at him sternly, "I want to see Saruhiko."

Mikoto's lips pulled into a tight line, "He'll be alright."

"Mikoto," Kaori frowned, "He saved my life, so the least you could do is let me see him."

With a grunt, Mikoto shuffled to the side and motioned behind him to the opening of the van, where he'd sensed Munakata standing. Much to Kaori's relief, Fushimi was standing beside him with his injured arm in a sling, but looking better off now that he'd been tended to.

"Saru," Kaori sighed in relief, "thank goodness you're alright."

Fushimi frowned, "You shouldn't be worried about me, when that man had a gun pointed to your head the entire time."

"Please don't argue," she frowned, "Is your injury serious?"

"No, I'll be fine after I get some rest," Fushimi's eyes softened only slightly, but she could see the difference, "Are you alright?"

Kaori nodded and offered him the best smile she could muster in her exhausted state, "I'm hurting, but I'll be okay once I get some rest and have a few pain killers."

Munakata ignored Mikoto's warning look and smiled to Kaori, "We have trained medical personnel here that could tend to your injury, miss Watari."

"That's okay, I'm sure I'll be in good hands once we get back to the bar and Tatara has his medical kit handy," Kaori returned his smile.

The Blue King nodded in acknowledgement before looking at Mikoto, "I'll ignore the damage your clan has done for today, considering the circumstances of the attack, and the fact that the target we have both been after was eliminated."

"How very kind of you," came Mikoto's sarcastic remark.

Munakata grinned slightly, "Good evening, miss Watari," his eyes flashed from Kaori, back to Mikoto, "Suoh."

Fushimi looked over to Kaori once more before reluctantly following Munakata, leaving Mikoto and Kaori alone once more.

 **\- x -**

A few days had passed since HOMRA and Scepter 4 infiltrated Takanori Kai's headquarters to retrieve Kaori, and already she was beginning to feel like a burden.

Since their arrival back at the bar, Kaori had been babied, and treated as though she were glass. Mikoto was especially gentle with her, making sure that she was beyond comfortable, and always tended to her every need so she wouldn't feel the need to lift a finger. It only got worse when Tatara's nurse friend, Ayame, told them all that while the bone wasn't broken and there were no punctures from the blank she was shot with, the internal damage was still bad enough that she was internally bleeding, and could have had torn ligaments from the initial impact.

Of course, after that visit, things only got worse for Kaori.

Tatara had joined Mikoto in making sure she was staying put, and as happy as a woman forced to stay in one spot all day and night could be. Kusanagi had also joined in, not being afraid of Kaori's death glares whenever he would mock or tease her for being crippled.

Her only saving grace was Anna, who refused to leave Kaori's side other than to bathe or to sleep.

Once a full week had passed, Mikoto finally allowed Kaori to walk on the crutches brought to her from Ayame's second visit, which was the confirmation that she could begin moving her leg in small increments.

"Damn it, Mikoto!" Kaori glared at him as he reached for her, "If I don't get to do this on my own, I'll never make it down the stairs by myself!"

Mikoto glared back, "I'm just trying to make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself more."

"You're treating me like I'm an invalid," Kaori shot back in annoyance, "Let me do this," she shot a look back at Tatara, who had also hung back to make sure she would be alright, "and Tatara, don't you dare touch me. I've got this!"

Relinquishing to her request (albeit reluctantly), Mikoto chose to walk a couple steps past her so he could catch her if she lost her balance, but offered no other support as she maneuvered herself down one stair at a time. Tatara followed her at a safe distance, only going closer to her when he'd notice her wobble a bit. She shot him a warning glare, making him back off once more.

"There she is!" Kusanagi smiled once he saw Mikoto back up from the steps into view, revealing a very concentrated Kaori scaling the final step, "Stubborn as always."

"Tell me about it," Mikoto muttered, "I thought she was going to rip my head off up there."

Kusanagi smiled, "She's an independent woman who got hurt, and had to rely on everyone to help her while she recovered. I can see why she's a little cranky about it all."

"I suppose so," Mikoto watched as she settled herself and caught her breath, "Want me to get you a drink?"

Kaori looked at him and gave him a grateful smile, "That would be awesome, love."

Kusanagi was already handing the Red King a glass filled with Kaori's favorite non-alcoholic beverage before he'd even asked for it, "I figured she'd be thirsty," he looked to Kaori and grinned, "Once you're off those pain killers, I'll make you your favorite."

"Awesome," She grinned back.

Following Mikoto towards the leather couch he always occupied, she carefully set herself down while he took her crutches and set them aside for her, "Thanks, love," she smiled, accepting the drink, "so, what's on the agenda today?"

"Nothing, really," Mikoto plopped down beside her, while Anna scurried over and climbed up on her opposite side, "All of the boys are off enjoying their day off, so it's promising to be a very quiet day in the bar."

"And I'm going to enjoy every minute of it," Kusanagi said with glee as he polished a wine glass to perfection.

Tatara chuckled at him, "Oh, Izumo. Don't lie! You love it when everyone is here, and getting along!"

"I'll admit, it's nice to see those kids all smiling and having a good time, but it's nice to have peace and quiet once in a while," Kusanagi smiled, continuing his polishing with a new glass.

"Tell me about it," Mikoto sighed, stretching against the back of the couch to place his arm behind where Kaori sat, "What is it that you'd like for today, babe?"

"Don't call me _babe_ ," Kaori shot him a halfhearted glare before settling back against her seat, "Since I'm not able to walk fast enough to go with you for your daily walk, how about we take the van and go visit dad?"

Mikoto looked at her, "That actually sounds like a great idea. We haven't gone to see Yuushin in a while."

"Yeah," Kaori smiled, "We could bring Anna with us this time," she looked over to Tatara and Kusanagi, "unless you guys had plans for her?"

Kusanagi smiled, "Not at all. I'm sure she'd enjoy going on the trip, considering she hasn't left the bar since you've been on bar-arrest."

"Yeah, and it would be nice for her to meet your father!" Tatara grinned, "Since you plan to adopt her officially, and all."

Anna looked up at Kaori and smiled small, "Is your father nice?"

"Oh, he's incredibly nice," she smiled back to the young strain, "I'm sure you'll love him. He's just like a male version of me."

Mikoto watched the two with a soft expression on his face, enjoying the way Kaori's face lit up as she spoke of her father, and how Anna's eyes seemed to shine at the prospect of meeting Yuushin for herself. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he would have given the world to replay that moment over, and over again if it meant he could watch both of their faces light up with happiness.

"It's settled then!" Tatara walked over, "You guys head out, and I'll make sure that when you come back, there's a delicious meal waiting for you!"

Kaori grinned up at him, "Going to use one of your new recipes?"

"Yup!"

"Oh yeah," Kusanagi split the happy atmosphere, "the new girl, Reina, will also be joining us for dinner tonight."

Kaori looked at him and smiled, "So does this mean I finally get to meet her?"

"Yep," He chuckled, "You would have met her earlier, but you were sleeping the last time she came. It doesn't help that her and Yata are glued at the hip, and that boy is always on the move."

"She must be good for him then, if he's keeping out of trouble," Kaori giggled.

Kusanagi nodded, as did Tatara, "They make a good team. I'm sure you'll like her, too. She's a nice change of personality, and she doesn't let the boys push her around," Kusanagi grinned at her, "She reminds me of a younger version of you, Kaori."

"Oh, well then she must be great if she's like me," came a fake, cocky reply.

Mikoto rolled his eyes a with a grin while Kusanagi chuckled.

 _ **FIN.**_

* * *

 **WELL HOLY SWEET CHEESE, we've made it!  
**

 **... and only after the better part of a year has come and gone... LOOL**

 **But, we made it! We're done! And I managed to tie this into the other series, too!  
**

 **Woooo! ... :'(**

 **I want to give a gigantic thank you to all of you who have been following this series since day one, and who have been patiently waiting for the next update to arrive. I've been swamped with work, school (I took a summer course this year, boo!), and all the preparations for horse shows during the summer, as well as pasture construction at my old barn. It's just been handful after handful of stuff to do, and it's only going to get better as we approach the beginning of a new school year!**

 **Second year in university for me, woot!**

 **I'm hoping to finish my other active series before the beginning of the school year, but I doubt that's going to happen, what with my summer course exam coming up in five days that I'm NOT AT ALL PREPARED FOR. UGH.**

 **Again, I'd like to give a massive shout out to all of my followers who have been with me since the start of this series, as well as a Series of Fortunate Events, and Breaking Point. I love you all so very much, and I appreciate all of you.**

 **Once I get some time, I'll be going back through all of the parts to this series and re-vamping them. That means re-writes, and some major changes, as I read through Breaking Point a week ago and cringed at all of my very big errors that I skipped over from before. I feel that since this is my best series since I posted my very first Vampire Diaries series when I first joined Fanfiction, that it deserves a tune up to be the best that it can be.**

 **Once more, I want to thank you all, and remind you that I love you all so very much! I apologize for the wait, so I hope in the end, this chapter met all of your expectations, and was worth waiting almost a year for!**

 **Just to express my thanks, here's a treat for all being so patient!  
**

* * *

 _ **EXTENDED ENDING**_

Standing beside Mikoto with his arms comfortably crossed over his chest, Yuushin grinned as he watched Anna and Kaori together in his backyard after telling them about the pool he'd just installed, "She really does act like her daughter, doesn't she?"

"She is," Mikoto nodded, smiling as he watched them as well, "We've been through hell and back to keep her with us, so Anna's definitely not going anywhere, anytime soon."

"Care to summarize?" Yuushin looked at him.

"She's a strain that was held in Kokujoji's facility to be studied, but we broke her out of there to bring her with us," Mikoto looked at him, "I can't imagine Kokujoji pleased with us blowing up his building, but we weren't going to let the Blue's get their hands on her."

Yuushin chuckled, "I figured that was you guys after I heard about what happened at the hospital," he turned to watch Kaori and Anna splashing at one another, "Must be getting close to the time when you two finally settle down?"

"I've been thinking about it recently," Mikoto admitted, "and I think I'm just about ready to ask."

"You shouldn't hesitate, Mikoto," Yuushin looked at him, "If you were going to have second thoughts, you would have found any excuse to put it off. Don't worry too much about the details, and just ask. You and I both know she doesn't like shit over the top, so try not to stress over the small shit."

Mikoto chuckled, "I suppose you're right."

Yuushin watched as Mikoto dug into his jean pocket to retrieve a small, black case before offering it to the elder male, "You already got her a ring?"

"I've had it for about six months now," Mikoto watched as Yuushin accepted the velvet box, opening it to peek inside, "Think she'll like it?"

"Oh, Mikoto," Chocolate eyes lit up, "She's going to love this. How in the hell did you get your hands on something so perfect for her?"

"Trust me when I say it was no easy feat," Mikoto sighed deeply, "She all but threatened me when we talked about the prospect of a ring, so I had to be picky when I went on the hunt. Although, when I saw that, I knew I had to give it to her."

Yuushin chuckled, "Yeah, my baby girl isn't materialistic. She's just like her father that way."

"I want you to be a part of the wedding," the Red King looked directly at Yuushin, "Whether you walk with her to the alter or not, I want you there participating."

"I'd be honored," the elder male smiled brightly, handing the closed box back to Mikoto, "I wouldn't miss having the chance to hand my girl over to you for the world."

Mikoto smiled a very genuine smile at that, "Thanks."

"Anytime, Mikoto. Anytime," Yuushin returned his smile.

"Hey!" Both men looked over to Kaori, seeing her smiling up at the both of them while having Anna wrapped in her arms, "Are you both going to stand there yacking like two old ladies all day, or are you going to come join us?"

Mikoto grinned at her, "Just for that, you better believe I'm going to come down there and make you regret that comment."

"I think Anna and I will watch from the side lines to see who will win that fight," Yuushin chuckled with a smirk as Anna smiled, "and then we take on the winner."

* * *

 **:) love you all!**

 **Kayori, out!**


End file.
